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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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Bi>©©-^ip% IB^Qjlk, 



THIRD ANJ) RKVISED EDITION. 



By R. C. MILLER, 

PRACTICAL PAINTER. 



XENIA, OHIO, 

Nonpareil Printing Co., 

1882. 






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THIKD AND REVISED EDITION. 



^V Treatise upon the Home MaDufiictiire 

of Paints, Oils, Varnishes, Dryer.-, 

&c.; also, instructions in all the 

Branches of flonse, Sign and 

Carriage Painting, for 

^ THE 1'55A€T1€A5. rAISTEK. 



■37- 



By R. G. MILLEE, « 

PIIACTICAL rAINTEIv. 



26 1;-. 



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Entered uccoi'ding to an Act of Congress, in 

the year 1881, by R. C. MILLER, in tlie 

office of tlie Ijibrarian of Congress, at 

Wasliington. 

Entered according to an Act of Congress, in 

tha year 1882, by R. C. MILLER, in the 

office of tlie Librarian of Congress, at 

AVashington. 



^ 



"^ 



,0 



PREFACE. 



Tiie following pages prepared by the author, 
have been condensed and again condensed until 
the author is now satisfied that to meet tlie de- 
mand it is what the Practical Painter wants. 
The reader has here a complete cowipendium 
of the whole work, excepting the Key. He 
can in a little while become tamiliar with it, 
and know exactly where to turn to when in 
need of advice. 

Read the recipes and instructions carefully, 
and then try thenj, and you v\'ill find that they 
will work to your advantage; and if at any 
time you do not fully comprehend them, do 
not hesitate to write to me and I will take 
i)leasure in answering. 

Xenia, Ohio, July 1st, 1882. 



xMILLER'8 "B08S' PAINTER. 



fitUI.FS i]>¥ PAlJSfTIXfcf. 

The following general rules in painting may 
be followed with advantage: (a) Let the 
ground of your work be pro])erly cleaned, pre- 
j)ared and dry. (6) See that your colors are 
equally well ground and duly mixed, (c) Do 
not mix much more nor any less than is neces- 
sary for the present job. (d) Keep the paint 
well mixed while the work is g(Mng on. (e) 
Have your paint of due thickness, an.l lay it on 
equally and evenly. (/) Do not apply a suc- 
ceeding coat of paint before the preceding one 
is entirel}^ dry. (r/) Do not use a lighter color 
over a darker one. (A) Do not add dryers to 
colijrs long before they are used, (ij Avoid 
using any excess of dryer or a mixture of dif- 
ferent sorts, (j) Do not overcharge your 
brush with paint, nor replenish it before it is 
sufficiently exhausted, (k) Begin with the 
highest part and proceed downwards with your 
work, (l) Keep your brushes in good con- 
dilion ; do not let them Ja^^ out and dry. I 



MiLLb;ll'W "BOSS" FAlNTEIi. 



luive a trough iilled with water that I keep tliein 
in. When putting brushes away be careful 
that the bristles are all straight, (wi) Keep 
your pots clean: your ladders, etc.. painted. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



l^^o^lpt©.. 



-: OILS. 



-Elastic— 

10 gallons B, 5 gallons RO, 2 pounds RN, 1 
pound R, 5 lbs. BX, 5 gals. SW, and dissolve 
the RN and R in 1 gal. of tlie RO over a slow 
fire, the R having previously been cut in small 
pieces. Allow it to stand until it becomes thor- 
onghly dissolved. Also dissolve the BX in 
the S\V; then mix all together, and it will be 
rea<ly for use. 

The BX and 8W can be left out if desired.- 

I'OEJfibiiiation <>il*<i far ]7Iixing- Paiiit$«. 

First Kind. — Twelve gallons or one hun- 
dred pounds of melted RN, three gallons of 
crude petroleum oil, fifteen gallons of B. 

Second Kind — Twelve gallons or one hun- 
dred pounds of melted RN, three gallons of 
crude petroleum naptha, ten gallons of RO. 

Third Kind — For reducing RO or Mixing 
Paint — one hundred pounds of No. 2 RN^ 



MILLER'S "B08S" PAINTER. 



eighteen gallons best B (or enough to make it 
work witli a brush), two gallons of crude pe- 
troleum oil, two gallons of re-run paraffine oil, 
four gallons of RN oil, or fish oil if RN oil 
cannot be obtained ; can mix one gallon of this 
No. 3 kind with one gallon RO, and it it is bet- 
ter than all linseed for outside work. You can 
depend on the above. 

Composition Oil for Iffineral Paia^l. 

Barns, Fences, Bnofs, Iron "Work, &c. 

1 bbl. CT, 1 bbl. PT, 1 bbl. B, 50 lbs. ASL, 
10 gals. A8 ; mix cold. In cold weather it 
will be nece.<^sary to use moi-e B than in warm. 
SW may be added in place of the mineral, 
which will give a gray. 

Adulteration for Oil. 

Fish oil or CSO can be used to adulerate lin- 
seed oil. 

LW can be used in priming rough work, 
half and half. 

ftryingr OH. 

—Equal to Patent Dryer.— 
RO 2 gals., add LR. LRG and umber, of 



MILLEK'S "BOSS" PAI:NTEK 



each 4 oz., juui iSL mid ZS 2 oz. eucli. Boil 
slow for 4 hours. 

BleacisBBig «fl= 

The painter may do tins by simply setting a 
bottle of oil on the window sash where it will 
get tlie sunshine. By artificial methods tlie oil 
is subjected to heat, treated with acid, and af- 
terwards washed with steam. 

I>ar!i Colored Boiled mi. 

Bimmcr with frequent stirring, 1 gal. RO 
with f lb. LRG, powdered, until a skin begins 
to form, then remove the same and wlien it has 
become cold and has settled use oft' of the top. 

Boalc'tl Oil fov d'lear. White WorBi. 

Mix 1 part binoxide of M in coarse powder 
but not dusty with 10 parts of RO. Keep it 
gently heated and frequently stir for about 20 
liours, or until tlic oil begins to tuvii a redish 
{M)lor. 



MiLLKll'.s "BOSS'' PAINTER. 



PAINTS. — ~ 

(Snbsj^ittite for WSiite Lead. 

WZ 75 lbs. dry, MK 30 lbs. Mix well to^ 
gether; run it through the mill, or, if you have 
no mill, a fine strainer. If you want a clear 
wliite or tint job u.^e RO and TT, half tind lialf. 
For plastered walls (inside) you will find that 
you will have a much better job than you would 
by u.<ii]g pure lead, as the work stands out bet- 
ter and finishes like varnished work. If you 
"vvish a rough, cheap job, use the ehistic oil for 
first and second coats. Tlie MR can be left 
out, and PW, XX or BT substituted. Do not 
put txuj dryer in until you are ready to use tlie 
paint. 

Substitute for White Lead. — Native 
barytes, or barium sulphate, is mixed with pul- 
verized stone coal and tar, and exposed to an 
intense heat, so as to convert it into barium 
sulphide. The latter being soluble can be dis- 
solved out, and to the clear solution is added a 
corres[)onding quantity of zinc chloride in solu- 
tion. To the ^>liii:ion of barium eliloridc ir 



10 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTEK. 

added white vitriol (zinc sulphate), when a pre- 
cipitate of barium sulphate will be formed, and 
zinc chloride left in solution, which latter can 
be filtered and again employed to precipitate 
barium sulphide. 

The two precipitates obtained ns above, 
namely, zinc sulphide and barium sulphate, are 
well washed, mixed, dried, heated to a cherry 
red, then thrown into cold water, and finally 
ground in water and dried. The white })ig- 
ment thus obtained covers well, and is well 
suited to mix Avith oil, as a substitute for lead, 
especially where sulphur compounds exist or 
may be generated. 

XX will be found to answer. It has a good 
body and is very durable, either inside or out, 
but does not do so well on plastered walls as 
the WZ. 

Adulteration for WIsifo liCatl. 

To 50 lbs. white lead add 25 ll^s. WZ dry, 
and 25 lbs. PW or BT. You will find that the 
paint will still have a good body and reach as 
far as 300 lbs. of all pure lead. Mix the WZ 
nnd PW (or BT) first and run throwo^h the mill 



MILLER'S "B08S'* PAINTER. 



or strainer, then put the lead in after breaking 
it up; use pure RO and IT for inside work, 
half and half, 

I*atoiit Ready Mixed Paints. 

The ready mixed paints that are now to be 
seen in the stores for sale, with flashy labels 
lauding their good qualities, do not contain an 
ounce of lead and but very little linseed oil. 
Lead, as all painters know, would go to the 
bottom, and there form a hard cake in course 
of time. The principal pigment used in nine- 
tenths of the so-called patent paints is \VZ, XX 
and PW with umber-black, red, yellow, &c , to 
give them the proper shade. The vehicle used 
is the elastic oil. Any practical painter can 
,make this paint at a cost of about thirty-five 
cents per gallon. 

A. ('heap Paint for Rough Work. 

50 lbs. Mineral Paint — ocher, brown or Vene- 
tian red, which ever is convenient, — 50 lbs. PW 
and 50 lbs. road dust. Tlien mix with oil and 
run through the mill, and it ground fine will 
do for priming or second coating any kijid of 
outside rough work and is very diirable, 



MILLER'S "BOSH" PAlNTfc^K. 



By adding ^ buj-liel ot ASL, and tliiimiiig 
with half oil and half sweet milk, 3'ou will still 
h;we a cheaper paint. 

MOW to MaSie ©ilCIoth. 

Dissolve GL over the fire in BO till thorough- 
ly dissolved and the BO is brought to the tljick- 
ness of a balsam. Spread this upon canvas, or 
any other cloth, so as to drench it and entirely 
glaze it over. Thus a material will be formed 
impenetrable by water. The preparation may 
be used by itself or the different coloring tinig-' 
added as desired. 

A better grade, however, can be made by the 
following method : First cover the cloth with a 
paste as follows : Take SP which has been 
completely cleaned, and mix to a consistency of 
paste, add dryers enougli to dry it, spread over 
the cloth by means of a spatula. When the 
first coat is dry a second is applied. The un- 
evenness occasioned by the coarseness of the 
cloth or the unequal application, are cut down 
Avith PS, and when cut down wash off well with 
water, and after it is dried, a varnish composed 
of GL diss(4v(Ml iii BO. It will dissolve quick- 



MiLLEK'^ "BOSS" PAINTER. 



ly. Tliiii witii XT and it is ready to apply and 
the process is complete. Add any color lliat 
you Vvisli, or you can grain it if you choose. 
The above may be used for a table cloth. 

Wnterpi'OoS' €Iot8i.— Silastic, 

3 lbs. RN, 1 lb, R, 4 gals. BO, i gal. V/N, 
Dissolve the RN in the BO, and tJie R after be- 
ing cut in small pieces in the WN, add Japan 
enough to dry it. The clotli should previously 
be soaked in a solution of alum water. If the 
mixture becomes tliick, lieat it in a sand batli. 
It should be applied while warm. 

Fire Proof Paint, 

70 lbs. WZ, 30 lbs. ASL, 50 lbs. WL, 10 lbs. 
ZS. Mix the WZ and ASL together and grind 
in the elastic oil, then add 1 gal. 35° SG, then 
the WL and ZS. Stir well. . Tliis will make 
a white paint, and if you wish the color changed 
add any pigment that you wish to get the shade 
you desire. 

You have enough paint in the above to go 
about as far as 300 lbs. of pure white lead, at a 
cost of about one-third. 



14 MIL!. RR'.S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

^-%= 

Elccipe for litiininoiis Paint. 

Sulpliide of calcium (Cantons Phosphorus) 
mixed with any varnish will produce what is 
known as luminous paint. 

Luminous Paint Again. — Take 100 parts 
of rosin oil, which is to be boiled in a suitable 
pan with 30 parts of freshly slaked lime, rais- 
ing the heat by degrees. This mass is at first 
lumpy, then becomes tougher and afterward 
passes into a thin liquid. At 300"^ Fahr. the 
entire surface of the liquid becomes luminous 
in the dark. At 380° Fahr. the bluish-white 
light is very strong in the dark. Objects 
dipped in the liquid remain luminous for some 
time. 

Metalic Enamel Coating. 

To make a paint for covering bodies, such as 
stove pipes, ranges, and other heated surfaces, 
to produce good work it Avill be required, first, 
to coat the object with a covering of the com- 
mon graphite or black lead. Only such colors 
can be used as are unefifected by heat, such as 
burnt umber, burnt sienna, burnt ocher, green 
earth, and red or violet oxide of iron, l)est sort 



MJLLKR'S "BOHH" PAINTER. 



of artificia] UB, pure chrome red, chrome green, 
burnt egg-shell WZ, and the French bronze. 
All the above can be used, any tint produced 
by combining them with SO diluted one-half 
with SW. Bear in mind that it will be neces- 
sary to keep stirring them while applying, as 
they set very quick in the pot, being of a na- 
ture similar to Plaster Paris in this respect. 
The iron should be a little warm so that evapo- 
ration may take place at once. 

.Soluble Ula^s for Painting. 

Heretofore this substance has been but ittle 
used for painting purposes, for the reason that 
when combined with the earth and mineral 
paints silica is formed, a substance which is al- 
most entirely insoluble. I have been able to 
prevent this change from taking place by the 
following process, and it will give you a paint of 
stony hardness, of great durability, possessing 
many good qualities in general. I have used it 
successfully upon mantels. The dry paints 
should be ground in a size made of starch, (suf- 
ficient quantity of the starch being used to pre- 
vent its rubbing up.) SP or PW may be used 



MILLER'S ''BOSS" PAlMTER. 



in place of diy WL and give equall}^ as g(x>d 
results. 

First coat the work with 35 per cent. SG 
tliinned down Nvith warm water, let stand one 
hour or till dry. Then put coat over the W(;rk 
witli tlie water (previously described) until \ou 
liave a good body, then rub down well with fine 
sand-paper, then put on a coat of the SG : then 
the work is complete. Bear in mind the first 
and last coat must be the SG. You can put 
up a first-class jol) in one-half day. Give this 
a fair trial, and I am confident you will use it 
continually. 

The SG will cost you about 50c. per gallon, 
then thinned down one-half with water wouhl 
make the cost 25c. per gallon for your maten- 
al. Heat will not blister work coated with 
this })reparation. 

Waterproof «>il IlHb5>er Paiait. 

Dissolve 5 lbs. of India rubl)er in 1 gallon of 
BO by boiling. If this is too thick reduce 
w'ith BO ; if too tliin use more rubber. Es- 
pecially applicable to clotli, ]>ut valuable for 
any other nuitcrial. 



>iILLKU'« "ilUSb" PAi>iTEiL 



Waterproof Rubber Paisat for Overcoats, Ac. 

Get one worn out rnbber boot, put into a 
kettle with 1 gal. RO. Boil slow until the 
boot is dissolved. Then strain, add 3 ozs. of 
black oxide of M. If too thin add more rub- 
ber ; if too thick add more oil, or you can thin 
it with IT. 

The above can be used in place of R, where 
it occurs in other receipts, K is very expensive 

How to Mis Water with Paint. 

Take SA 3 oz., caustic lime 3 oz,, dissdve in 
one gallon of SW; then stir in gradually J gal. 
RO; let stand for 3 or 4 days. 'J'ake one part 
of this mixture and mix with, two parts of RO. 
It is now ready for use. 

Green Paiss*. 

I. 5 lbs. YO, dry, 1 lb. Orange Chn me, 
dry; 4 oz. Pru-sian Blue; grind in oih 

II. 5 lbs. YO, dry; 2 lbs Canary Chrome; 
5 lbs. MR; 6 oz. Prussian Blue; grind in oil. 

III. 5 lbs. YO, dry; 4 lbs. Orange Chrom.e; 
3oz. Antwerp Blue; grind in oil. This makes 
a very clear color, which you can make eithei- 
light or dark at ])leasure. If you wish to make 



15 MILT.EK'8 "BOSS' PAINTER. 

it lighter add' more chrome or YO; if darker 
add more blue. This receipt is worth its weight 
ill gold, you will find after using it. 

5 lbs. YO 15c. 

4 lbs. chrome 60c. 

3 oz. blue 5c. 

1 gal. linseed oil 75c. 

Total... ^1 55 

16 lbs. emerald green $4 00 

Receipt above 1 55 

Difference in cost $2 45 

Use No. 1 for first ;ind second coats, or No. 
2 for first and second coat and finish with No. 
8. It you have no mill get the colors ready 
ground in the same proportion as the dry. 

Prussian Blue. — First. Take nitric acid, 
any quantity, iind as much iron shavings from 
the lathe as the acid will dissolve ; heat the iron 
as hot as can be handled with the hand, then 
add it to the acid in small quantities as long as 
the acid will dissolve it. Second. Take prus- 
satc of potash, dissolve it in hot water to make 



M1LLER'« "iJOSS ' PAlNTEti. 10 

11 strong solution, and mix sufficient of it witli 
tiie first to give the depth of tint required. 

Another Method. — A very passable Prus- 
sian blue is made by taking the sulphate of 
iron (eoppeni.-) and prussate of potash., equal 
parts of each, and dissolve in water, then mix- 
ing th 3 two together. 

Chrome Yellow. — First. Take SL and 
PW, of each 5 ibs., dissolve them in liot water. 
Secoud. Take bi-chromnte of potash, Gfozs., 
also dissolve it in hot vrater. Each article to 
be dissolved se[)arately, then mix all togethiCr, 
putting in the bichromate last. Let st^nd 24 
hours and drain ofFthe water. Let it dry and 
it is read}^ for use. 

Chrome Green.— Take PW 6^ l])s., SL 
and blue vitriol each 3 J lbs., AN lOf ozs., best 
soft Prussian blue and chrome yellow of each 
3 J lbs. Mix v/h-ile dvy, then add 1 gallon of 
water, stirringMvell. Let stand 3 or 4 h 'Ui-s, 
or until it settles, then drain ( ff the water; let 
it dry, when it will be ready fbi* use. 

A Good Green — Takeunsl:ick(<i li?neoi tho 
be4 quality, shu'k it in hot wf^tei*, tlien •'•''! i- 



2-0 MIi.LKR'S "JBOHS" PAI'NTKR. 

tlirouii'li ii fine sieve, then add a strong solution 
of AN water. Then color it with bi-chi-oniate 
of potash and sulphate of copper until the color 
suits your fancy. 

Another Method. — Blue vitriol 5 lbs., SL 
(5 J lbs., arsenic 2J lbs., bi-chromate of potash 
1^ lbs. Mix dry, then add 3 pts. water; mix 
well; let stand for 3 or 4 hours, then drain off 
t!ie water. It is dangerous to handle. 

When any of the above mixtures have stood 
as mentioned, all that is necessary to drain of! 
the water is to place the preparation into a mus- 
lin bag 'for that purpose, then expose the mix- 
ture to th'e air to dry for use. Glass, stone or 
wood vessels only should be used, as the acids 
soon work upon iron, tin or copper, giving a 
tinge not desired to the color ; and also observe 
that if water is mixed with strong acids it must 
be added slowly, especially in tight vessels, or 
you will break the vessels by means of the great 
heat which is sst free by tlie combination. 

Ail alterations tSsat may bo Used in Mixing 
a*aints. 

In case that you have a rough, job and want 



MILLAR'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 21 



to get a good Ixxly upon it at a small cost, use 
for the first coat LW, or the contents of the 
dissolvent keg, adding a little SP, or anything 
that you may have in the way of a pigment to 
iill the pores. 

Dust of the road is very good after it has 
been well cleaned. You can carry it rig lit 
through the 1st, 2d and 3d coats. 

To clean the road dust, first get a large tub, 
fill with water, then put thedu^tirito it, makiiig 
it about as thick as second coating. Let it 
stand for a day or two uniil it i;-f settled. Drain 
the water off the top, and you will find that the 
C(-jarse sand is at the bottom and the fine on 
top, which, after drying, Vvill be ready for use. 
This has a good body and makes a durable pig- 
ment. It can be used to adulterate any dark 
color. 

Paiirt f^Siins.— To >^:eve and Re<iis<v> <« OS!. 

Dissolve Sal Soda, ^ lb., in 1 galhm SW. 

The skins tluit you have can be »)ut into tiie 
above. Lot stand for 4 or 5 days, then put 
them into a kettle and boil them, addinir suf 
ficlent oil to tliin to a proiper co'isistency for 
l)a!ntin</ and strrdiiinu'. 



22 MILLEK'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

l>isKolyont for Paint ^kins^. 

2 11)3. coiicenti-atecl lye, 5 lbs. unslacked 
lime to 15 gal. water. Put in the old skins 
and all the dirty buckets, stir them up occca- 
sionally. When the skins are dissolved pour 
oil the lye-water an.d the paint in the bottom 
will do for priming rough weather-boarding or 
brick walls. Do not thro'vv the w^ater|a\vay as it 
w'ill do for another time by adding more lye to it. 

To Softeis Potiy and Rcissove Passst. 

To destroy paint <.n old doors, etc.,. and to 

soften putty in window frames, so that the glass 

may be taken oat without breakage or cuttiiig, 

take equal portions of SO and quick lime, and 

with water mix them Into thick pHsto." Coat 

the work with this, allowing it to stand about 

an hour, when it must be thoroughly washed 

off with water. This is a speedy, method of 

removing old paint, but it must be used with 

caution. That is to say, the coating must be 

rejuoved at the iiistan.t the solution has taken 

effect, otherv.-ise the wood will be furred up, 

;ui(l alkali deposited in its fibers to the subse- 

iient (!etrimpj}t of the painting. 



MILLKirS "HOHS" PALNTEll. 23 

Ciilass Frosting or €ryst»!]£lit^. 

Dissolve ES in gum-arabic water, let- stand 
over night, and aftei* cleanin.g the glass oft' 
well, flow tlic solution on so that it will not 
run; lay the glass flat if convenient, and v.'hen 
it commences to set take a pomted stick and 
dot it in rows to suit the taste ; put tlie dots 
about i-J inches aparr. If you wish it colored 
use analines — red, blue, green and gand)oge 
for yellow or gold color; tlien flow on a tldn 
coat of Damar varnish and it is finished. 

Fro^tlit^ OSasM. 

The Scientifx Americaii,. of recent date, giv(^s 
the following method of frosting glass without 
the use of paint : Clean the glass and moisten 
it with ordinary hydrofluoric acid. As soon as 
tiie frosting is satisfactorily completed wash oir 
with water. 

I have not tried the ;ibove, but think that it 
will work. 

l't> I*«arl or t'rysfwSiso "S'iH. 

Take 8uli">huric, acid, 4 oz., soft wiwor 2 or 
8 oz,, according to the strengtli of the ncid, 
salt, 1 <>'/. Mix. rif^at the liii ^jiiiie r.ot over 



24 MILLER'S "BOSS" rAiiSTER. 

a stove or healer, then with a .sponge wet it 
with the mixture, wasliing of directly with clean 
water. Dry the tin : then varnish with Da- 
mar varnish. 

PerBna^iieifttSise for Calj^oniiato, 4&c. 

Dissolve in 20 gals, of hoiling water 3 lbs. 
SA, together with 1 lb. of BX; tlien add to it, 
stirring well at the time, 5 lbs. KN having been 
previously mixed with 2 lbs. B, the whole kept 
boiling continually till the RN is dissolved. 
This composition dissolved in the proportion of 
1 poun.d to 30 of water, is to be mixed togeth- 
er with a G solution — made l)y dii^solving 10 
pounds of G in 30 pounds of SW — then boil 
both solutions together for about 10 minutes, 
then run through a strainer. The above will 
do for plastered v/alls that yon intend to paint 
or calsomine. 

Persnan<t*ait J^iae for Wn!l Papor or W©o<! tSiaff 
Is io bf Vssr5iis?ie«i. 

1 lb v.'liitc G, let soak 24 hours in enough 
SW to cover it, then add 2 gals, boiling SW, 
1 ])}, \V^. Mix well together. This can be 
relied upon to keep withont souring. Com- 



MILLER'S "BOHS'' PAINTER. 26 



moil G will do for rough work. Common 
starch is a good size for wall paper ; also corn 
starch for fine work. 

Perinanesit Paste for Paper Maisgcs's, dte. 

Dissolve 1 oz, of AN in 1 qt. warm SW, 
when cold add FR to make it about the con- 
sistency of cream, then add half thimble of RN, 
half ounce of BL. The above is the prepara- 
tion for a bucket of paste 

Glae, Waterproof. 

Take of gum sanderac and mastic, and white 
turpentine, of each 1 oz., alcohol, 1 pint. Dis- 
solve tlie gums in the alcohol, using heat ii 
necessary, then add the turpentine, and have 
ready a very thick glue, 1 pint, in which there 
has been added h oz. of isinglass dissolved. 
Make the alcoholic solution boiling hot by hav- 
ing it in a pan inside of a kettle, or anotlier pan 
of water, then slowly adding the hot glue, stii-- 
ring constantly until thoroughly mixed. 
Strain through a cloth. It is to be applied hot. 
It dries quickly and becomes very hard, and 
surfiices of wood united with it do not separate 
when immersed in water. Tins will do to size 



20 MILLER'S "BO.S«'* PAINTEU. 

wood that is to be varnished, but will require 
tliiniiing down when used for that purpose. 

I^isne lor Calsomaaslng. 

4 busliel of CC, 1 lb. SC, J lb. ZS, 1 gallon 
SM. For brickwork exposed to damp, the fol- 
lowing will be found to work well : J pk. of 
fi-esli well burnt CC with 8 W sufficient to make 
thin paste, run through strainer, afld 1 lb. SO, 
which has bc^en dissolved in boiling water; 
make a thin paste of 1 lb. of RF, |- lb. G, mix 
with the compound while hot, and add J lb. 
SA, dissolved in water, stir all together, and 
let stand for one week, or longer. Warm be- 
fore using. 

The folio w'ing cai] be more easily prepared, 
and is very good : 

Take ^ bushel of CC, and put in it a kettle, 
put water enough in to make a thick paste, add 
1 gal. RG, boil well for one hour. Then let it 
stand over night, or the longer it stands the bet- 
ter. When you wish to use it, takeoutenough 
for your job, add glue size enough to give it a 
body, and also coloring matter to give it any 
desired tint; ap;)ly with calci^nino bi-u^^h. 



MlLLEirs "IJUSS" L'AIMTEU 2V 

*;aisonsine. 

Wliitiiicr 4 lbs., clue, 2 lbs Rtanrl the srluo 

oft' o 

ill water over night, mix the whiting witli cold 
water and heat the glue until dissolved and 
pour it into the other, hot. Make of proper 
consistence to apply with a comuion whitewash 
brush. 

Ca-lsomine, Again. 

PW 5 lbs., WZ 3 lbs., Glue 6 ozs. Stand 
the glue in water over night, or until the glue 
is dissolved. Do not warrn llie glue if you can 
avoid it, but if necessary to save time do not 
work it while it is warm — -put in a lump of ice so 
as to chill it. This can be made any desired 
shade or tint by adding any pigment, .so that 
they are fine. Do no not put in the glue size 
until all the pigments are well broken with wa- 
ter. 

Whitewnsli tltat Will ?Jot Hub i^if. 

To every pail of whitewash prepared in the 
ordinary way, add a pint of flour made into 
starch or paste. To whitewash for the hen- 
house add gas tar, 1 gill to each pailful. This 
will prevent or disperse lice. 



IVliL,lJOil'>S "iJOHS" PAIIS TEii 



—VARNISHES.— 

Caution IleNpecliug; tiae ]9IakJiig- of ^arialish. 

As heat in many cases is necessaiy to dis- 
solve the gums used. The best way, when 
practicable, is to use a sand bath, which is 
simply placing the vessel containing the var- 
nish in another filled with sand and placed on 
the lire. 

Comsaioii 015 Yarnlsli. 

RN 3 lbs., drying oil -J gal. Melt together, 
and add, when removed from the fire, 2 quarts 
w^arni oil of TT. 

Common Tnrpontine Yarnish. 

This is merely clear pale RN dissolved in oil 
of TT, usually 5 lbs. RN to 7 Ihs. oi TT. This 
does not require but very little heat. 

Copal VarnisSi. 

15 lbs. pulverized RN dissolved in 1 gall, of 
drying oil, 1 pt. Japan if the oil does not dry 
it, 2 galls. "B, 1 gall TT, Iqt. WN. It will be 
necessary to heat the drviiiir <^il to dissolve the 



MILI.EH'S "BO.Sh" PAINTER. 2!J 



RN. All elastic varnish can be liad by adding 
8 ozs. of R cut in small pieces and dissolved in 
RO, by warming. See tliat it is well dissolved 
tlieu strain and add to the above. 

Gloss Varnish. 

Take 1 gall. RO, boil for one hour, then add 
4 lbs. RN, stirr till dissolved, add 1 gall. TT, 
3 oz. GC, dissolved in 1 pt. of AC. 

Common Varnish. 

6 lbs. pulverized RN, ^ lb. beeswax, 1 J gall. 
RO, J lb. M. Boil for one hour, thin with TT 
or B until warm. 

Damar Varnish. 

One of the difficulties to overcome in making 
a clear colorless varnish, is the milky opacity 
usually present when dissolving the gum in oil 
of turpentine. This opacity is owing to mois- 
ture being present in the gum, and not certain 
parts of the gum remaining undissolved, as is 
commonly supposed. The moisture having 
first been driven off, a clear, colorless solution 
results. Many of the imperfections of a poor 
article are owing to the presence of this same 



3!) M J Ll.KR'S "BOSH' ' PA INTEil. 

moisture. Tlie ci-ackiiig is largely owiijg to 
this, as little bubbles are often formed, hence 
the uneven suiiace. They also cause the var- 
nish to spiij}g. To prove tliis it is only nece^i- 
sary to procure a small quantity of the best Da- 
mar the market affords, add to it one drop of 
water and it is at onco changed to one of infe- 
rior grades. The varnisli manufactured by the 
following process the author found to be color- 
less, perfectly transparent, dries quickly, a 
high gloss, and will not crack, peel or become 
tacky. The main object is to remove the mois- 
ture. This can be done by evaporating a solu- 
tion of the gum, or drying it first. To do this 
a porcelain lined kettle is necessary, in which 
place the gum and heat over a slow fire. Great 
care must be taken to keep the gum from tak- 
ing fire. The autlior's plan iuis been to have a 
cover loosely fitting the kettle, its edges or rim 
covered with cotton having been saturated to a 
slight degree with water, and the coyer sus- 
pended by a cord over the kettle. In case of 
fire it can be lowered at once and the flame ex- 
tinguished immediately. In making the var- 
nish five parts of the ;/uiri i^'hoidd be taken to 



MIJ.i.KIl'H "i:us;- ■ rAINTKK. 



four parts of the oii ot tpn., or 85 ozs. of tLc; 
gum to every four gallons of the oil of tpn. 

Mixture of VarsBisSies. 

When difiereiit varnishes are mixed, they 
vshould always be allowed to stnnd for several 
days before using to give them time to assim- 
ilate. 

Ooofi, Wliite, Mard Variilsti. 

One quart of good AC', 10 ozs. gum sandarac, 
2 ozs. gum mastic, ^oz. of gum aui'me ; dissolve 
in a clean can or bottle by shaking often till 
dissolved, and strain. 

White Har«J Varnisli. 

Dissolve gum animein nut oil, boil it gently 
as the gu)n is added, giving it as much gum as 
the oil will take up, and while cooling dilute it 
with pure turpentine ; this will do for the 
ground, also for the japanning tor white. It 
takes some time to harden, but is durable. 

Body VariiisEi forCoacli Painters. 
Eight pounds of fine gum anime, two gal- 
lons of clarified oil, three gallons of good tur- 
[)entine, boil slowly for four hours. 



S'Z i\ilLLER'S"BOHB" PAlNTPm. 



—DRYERS.— 

How to Make and Use Them. 

With respect to drying the well-known ad- 
ditions of sugar of lead, litharge and sulphate 
of zinc, either mechanically ground or in solu- 
tion for light colors, and japanner's gold size or 
oils boiled upon litharge for lakes, or in some 
cases verdigris and manganese for dark colors, 
may be resorted to when the colors or vehicles 
are not of themselves sufficiently good dryers 
alone, but it requires attention, as an excess of 
dryers renders oils saponaceous, is inimical to 
drying and injures the permanent texture of 
the work. Such colors, however, dry badly 
from not being sufficiently edulcorateil or 
washed, and many are improved in drying by 
passing; through the fire or by age. Sulphate 
of zinc as a dryer is less efficient than the ace- 
tate of zinc, but is to be preferred with some 
colors. It is Gupposed, erroneously, to set the 



MILLER'S "BOSH" PAINTER, 33 



colors running, which is positively not the case, 
though it will not retain those disposed to it be- 
cause it lacks the pro})erty which the acetate 
})0ssesses of gelatinizing the mixture of oil and 
varnish. These two dryers should not be em- 
ployed together as frequently directed, as 
chemical action takes place and two new sub- 
stances are formed, one of which is perfectly 
insoluble, and the other p'oor in its drying prop- 
erties. The state of the weather and atmos- 
phere exert a great influence upon the drying 
of paints, oils, etc. The oxygenating power of 
the direct rays of the sun renders them pecu- 
liarly active in drying oils and colors, and was 
probably resorted to before dryers were thought 
of. The atmosphere, too, is imbued w^iih the 
active matter, to which its drying power may 
be attributed. The ground may also advance 
or retard drying, because some pigments, unit- 
ed either by mixing or glazing, are either pro- 
moted or obstructed by their conjunction. Ar- 
tificial heat also plays an important part. 

The various aiiinities of pigments occasion 
each to have its more or less appropriate dryer, 
and it would be a matter o^ u.^uful experience 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTKH. 



if tlie habit? of every pigment in this respect 
were ascertained. Dryers of less power than 
the above, such as the acetate of copper, massi- 
cot, red lead and the oxides of manganese, to 
which umber and the cappagh browns owe their 
drying qualities, and others might come into 
use in particular cases. Many other accidental 
circumstances may also effect drying. Dryers 
should be added to pigments only at the time 
of using them, because they exercise their dry- 
ing properties while chemically combining with 
the oils employed, during which the latter be- 
come thick or fatten, and render additional oil 
and dryer necessary when again used. Acetate 
of lead dissolved in water, spirits of turpentine, 
may be used as a dryer of oil paints with con- 
venience and advantage in some cases. In the 
employment of dryers it will be necessary to 
guard against the following : 

[a.] Not to add dryers to those pigments 
which dry well of themselves. 

[b.] Not to employ them in excess, which 
only retards the drying. 

[c] Not to add them till the color is to be 
used. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 35 

[d.] Make use of only one kind at a time. 

[e.] Impurity of the pigments sometimes 
retards drying, in >Yhich case it should be 
washed. Another point should be observed 
and that is, that one coat of paint should be 
thoroughly dry before another is applied ; for 
if the upper surface of paint dry before the sur- 
face beneath, it will shrivel by the expansion 
and contraction of the under surface as the oil 
evaporates and dries. Overloading with paint 
will be attended with the same evil, and if the 
upper surface be of hard or brittle varnish, 
cracking of the paint will be the result. Al- 
ways avoid using old fat paint that is to be var- 
nished over, and always put your dryer into 
your paint before breaking up or thinning. 

Dryjugr Property of Iiiii8ee«I Oil. 

The activity (drying power) of pure linseed 
oil is represented — according to M. Chevreul — ■ 
by 1,985, and oil treated by manganese with 
an activity of 4,719, yet when they are mixed 
the sum of the activities (drying powers) will 
be 30,828. There are substances which in- 
crease the drying property of pure linseed oil, 



M ILL K R 'n " H ( )SS ' P A I N 1' K i< 



and others whicli seem to retard the drying. 
Experiments made by M. Chevreiil elicited 
the following facts, namely : 

"Linseed oil with one coat applied upon 
glass was dry after 17 da}''?." 

"The same oil, mixed with oxide of antimo- 
ny, took 26 days to dry. In this case, the ox- 
ide of antimony was an anti-dryer." 

"Linseed oil, mixed with oxide of antimony, 
and applied upon a cloth painted with pure 
white lead, was dry after 14 days." 

"The same oil mixed with the arseniate of 
protoxide of tin was not hard after 60 days." 

"Oak wood appears to possess the anti-dry- 
ing property to a high degree; poplar to be 
less anti-drying than oak, and Norway fir less 
than poplar." 

"Experiments proved that a' first coat of 
linseed oil on oak was dry, only on the surface 
after 32 days ; and three coats took 159 days 
to dry." 

"Three coats on poplar wood dried in 27 
days, and on Norway fir in 23 days." 

"One coat of linseed oil given upon surfaces 
of copper, brass, zinc, iron, porcelain and glass, 



M lLl.ER'J^ "BOSS" PAiNTEU. 37. 



v/us -dry in every case after 48 hours." 
M. Chevreul believed that a substance may 
be drying or anti-drying under different cir- 
cumstances. He claims tb.at metallic lead is 
drying toward pure linseed oil ; and white lead 
which is well known as possessing drying prop- 
erties, is anti-drying towards lins^eed oil ap- 
plied ijpon metallic lead. 

Japan ©ryer— B<'S< i^nality. 

RO 1 gal, and put into it f lb, SB, J lb. 
LRG, I lb. LR, 6 ozs. SL. Boil in the RO 
until all are dissolved, wliich will require about 
4 hours ; remove from the fire, and when very 
near cool add 1 gal. TT, and stir it up well ; 
then it is done. B can be substituted f u' TT 
if you wish. 

Jf&pan liryer. 

RO 1 -al., I lb. SH, 2 lbs. M, 1 lb. ZS. 
Boil about 4 hours, and when very near cool 
add 1 J gal. B. 

JapaRi fiJryer. 

9 gals, of RO, 10 lbs. LRG, 10 lb-. LR, 7 
lb.<. black oxide of M. i>oil ail tooethcs-; tiien 



38 Ml LITER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

add 30 lbs. of Kowery gum, and when near cool 
add 35 gals. TT. This is a good dryer and 
can be depended upon. 

Japan FIow^ for Tin and Iron. 

Take gum sandar:ic 1 lb.; balsam of fir. bal- 
sam of tolu, and acetate of lead, of each 2 ozs., 
and linseed oil J pint. Put these into a suita- 
ble kettle, over a slow fire at first, then raise to 
a higher heat until all are melted ; now take 
from the fire, and when a little cool stir in spir- 
its of turpentine, 2 qts., and strain through a 
fine cloth. This is transparent, but by the fol- 
lowing modifiations any or all the various col- 
ors are made from it. 

Black. — Melt asphaltum, 2 ozs., in spirits 
of turpentine, J pint, then rub up Prussian 
blue, ^ oz., with a little of it, mix all well and 
strain ; then add the whole to one pint of the 
first above. 

Blue. — Take indigo and Prussian blue, 
both finely pulverized, of each | oz., spirits of 
turpentine 1 pint. Mix well and strain. Add of 
this to 1 pint of the first until the color suits. 

Red. — Take spirits of turpentine h pint, add 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 39 

cochineal J oz.; let stand 15 hours, and strain. 
Add of this to the first to suit the fancy. 

Yellow. — Take 1 oz. of pulverized root of 
cucuma and stir of it into 1 pint of the first un- 
til the color suits ; let stand a tew hours and 
strain. 

Green. — Mix equal parts of the blue and 
yellow togetlier, then mix with the first until it 
suits. 

Orange. — Mix a little of the red with more 
of the yellow, and the first, as heretofore, until 
suited. 

In this simple way you get all the various 
colors. Apply with a brush. 

Yarnish for Orate Fronts, Ac. 

Asphaltum varnish with enough ivory black 
in it so that it will cover well. Do not mix 
more than you wish to use at one time, for 
when it stands long it does not do so well. 



MIIJ. ER'S "BOBS" PAlNTEIt. 



-FILLERS.— 

WO(i>?S Filling. 

1 lb. CS, J pt. BO, 1 pt. Japan, i lb. PS, 1 
gill SH varnish, mix well together; for dark 
v/ood add a very little burnt iirnber ; thin with 
B or TT; apply with stiff brush; let it stand 
till it sets ; rub ofi with Excelsior shavings or 
rags ; get ali out of the corners with sticks or 
putty knife, 

I have used this filler for a number of years 
and can recommend it to the trade. For light 
woods use more SH varnish and less Japan, 
unless your Japan is very good. 

A Fslier for Porons Hard Woods. 

Use good BO and CS stirred into a very 
thick paste, add a little Japan, then reduce 
with TT. For dark ash and chestnut, use a 
little raw sienna ; for walnut, burnt umber and 
a slight amount of Venetian red; for bay v/ood, 
1 urnt sienna. In no case use more color than 
is required to overcome the white appearance 



IVIILi^EK'S "BOSS" PAi^TKR. 



of the' starch, unless you wish to stain the 
wood. This filler is worked with brush and 
rags in the usual manner. 

Let it dry for 48 hours, or until it is in con- 
dition to rub down with No. sand-paper with- 
out much gumming up, and if an extra fine fin- 
ish is desired, fill again with same materials, 
using less oil but more of Japan and TT, The 
second coat will not shruik, it being supported 
by the first coat. When the second coat is 
hard, the wood is ready for finishing up in any 
desired style or to any degree of nicety, by fol- 
lowing up the usual methods. This formula is 
not intended for rosewood, and will not be sat- 
isfactory if used therefor. 

A €!3«ap Filler. 

If you have a job that you have to put 
through in a short time, make a strong size out 
of common G and common starch, half and 
half; dust oflPthe work w^ell and size, and when 
dry rub down with sandpaper, dust off again 
and it is ready for either varnish or paint, 

A. <3ooa Filler. 

2qts. TT, 1 qt. BO, h pt. Japan, 1^ lbs.' 



42 MILLER'S "BOSS" FAINTER. 

PS pulverized, 3 lbs. VW, 1 lb. French yellow, 
2 lbs. plaster Paris, 1 lb. LEG. This filler is 
worked with brush, rags, and Excelsior shav- 
ings in the usual manner. It must be worked 
quick as it sets fast. For dark woods add a 
small quantity of burnt umber and B sienna. 

Putty for Wood that is to be Varnished. 

For puttying inside work, take one-half SW, 
one-fourth beeswax, one-fourth KN ; powder 
the RN very fine, mix it v/ith the SW, then 
melt the beeswax: in one-half oil and one-half 
TT, put all together in an old sauce pan and 
heat gradually, stirring ar.d mix in color; for 
walnut, match with burnt umber, and burnt si- 
enna, or Venetian red ; for light woods, but lit- 
tle if any color but the ingredients. After 
thoroughly heated and mixed take off* and let 
cool, enough to thicken up for working on a 
board oiled or covered with whiting, work it 
into rolls about an inch in diameter ; in using 
have a candle or lamp and round-pointed knife; 
heat the knife and fill the holes quickly, leav- 
ing hole round-full ; rub off with a bit of sand- 
paper. After an hour or two this putty will 



MILLRR'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 43 

match the wood perfectly, and will never swell 
nor shrink, and after a little practice the work 
can be done just as quick as with ordinary put- 
ty. If you are hurried for time and are obliged 
to use shellac, use white shellac ; this leaves 
the wood clear and don't have that nasty, sick- 
ly look as when brown shellac is used. 

l»utt.y. 

For ordinary varnished work must be mixed 
with a little oil and Japan, also add some rub- 
bing varnish. Have it so that it will dry 
quick. Color it to match the wood. For 
Fine, chrome yellow, burnt sienna and whit- 
ing. Ash, — use the same, except add a little 
burnt umber. White Walnut, — use the same. 
Black Walnut, — whiting, iDurnt umber and 
black. In using the putty be careful to clean 
off all the surplus from around the outside ; do 
it with sandpaper or a rag dipped in turps. 



MiLLKR*B "BOSH" PAiisTEIl 



— HAKD OIL.— 

Jn 1 galL RO put 4 ozs, of SH and 2 ozs. of 
beeswax. Boil slow for about four hours, then 
let it settle. I sometimes ?.dd f lb. of RN, 
which makes it as heavy as varnish, and if too 
heavy thin with TT. Work it the same as you 
would varnish. 

2Sar<10iI lPlni»>i. 

There are a number of ways of putting up 
this kind of work. In the first place fill the 
wood with the filler, then rub down and putty 
up, dust off well, then flow on the hard oil, and 
when dry cut it down with No. sandpaper 
and flow on another coat. When dry cut it 
down with pulverized PS and sweet oil. If you 
wish a polished job flow on another coat, mak- 
ing one of tiller and one of hard oij. This last 
coat must get hard, then polish with rotten 
stone and BO with woolen rag, and chamois 
skin to do the cleaning with. 

Another Way. — Get a irood bodv with 



MILLEJl'S "ROSS" PAIN^TER. 



rubbing varnish or common copal : then cut 
the gloss off with BO and PS. This is tlie usual 
way turniture is finished, and is a very cheap 
way. 

Hard Wood Finish and Fillingr. 

Very few persons desire a high gloss on in- 
side work, so there is very little need of varnish 
for this purpose, still, a high gloss may be used 
sparingly with a most happy effect — especially 
in large' rooms, on raised mouldings, &c. The 
finisher, himself, must always be the judge 
how the work must be done. Id kitchens, pan- 
tries, &c. , where it has to be cleaned often, es- 
pecial pains should be taken that it be done 
well, that it may stand the wear. The oil will 
have to be used principally. Chambers, &c., 
where greater care is usually taken in the se- 
lection of wood, and the surface less exposed 
to friction, we can leave it, as far as the color 
is concerned, the same as it is left by the car- 
penter. The first thing, of course, is the prop- 
er preparation of the surface. The surface 
may be rough and the grain raised by moisture. 
If such is the case go over it carefully with No. 



4G MILLEK'« "BOiSy" PAINTER. 

1 J or 2 sandpaper, taking care always to sand- 
paper in the direction of the grain. Hammer 
marks, if found, should be touched a few times 
with a moist sponge until they come up even 
with the other surface. 

Oil Polish on Wood. 

Fill the grain with SH varnish or wood fill- 
ing ; give two or more coats, sand down and 
apply two or three coats of oil polish ; when 
thoroughly dry rub with tripoli and water un- 
til a polish is secured. Again cut the polish 
with fine PS and water and polish with sweet 
oil and rotten stone. The French method is 
to use powdered tripoli and BO to bring up the 
polish . 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



—SLATING FOR BLACKBOARDS.— 

There are quite a number of ways of doiug 
this class of work. I find that the great secret 
in putting up a good blackboard is to use no 
oil of any description in any of the coats. If it 
is a plastered or papered wall you wish to slate, 
first give it a coat of G size, then rub it down 
lightly with fine sandpaper ; then give it a coat 
of SH varnish and LP enough to give it a fair 
body. If on wood omit the sizing, but use 
paint for priming. Then give two coats of 
either of the following : 

First. 2 qts. AC, J lb. SH, 12 drachms 
LP, 20 drachms UB, 4 ozs. powdered RS, 6 
ozs powdered PS, 

Second. 1 gal. AC, 1 lb. SH, ^ lb. IB, 5 
ozs. of EF, 4 ozs. ofUB'. 

Third. Take equal parts of PS and LR and 
grind them in a mixture of TT and best VS; 
add enough ]jP to make a dark color, then thin 
with TT until it is perfectly flat. Apply with 
a brush and blend over. 



4i Mli.i^ER'S "BOSB" PAINTER. 

Foitrth. 1 gal. WN, 1 lb. SH, 4 ozs. LP, 4 
ozs. UB, l-J lbs. SW, 2 ozs, PS and powdered 
emery. The WN is cheaper than AC and 
does as well. 

Fifth, 1 gal. SH varnish, 4 lbs. black M, 
2 lbs. SW. 

All the above must be kept well stirred 
while using them, and when you are through 
put vfhat you have left in a bottle and cork it 
up, and it will keep for a long time. If at any 
time the slating is too thick thin with AC. 



MII.LEIC'S "BOSS" PAIM^ER. 49 



—SIGN PAINTERS' DEPARTMENT.— 

To Gild on Glass. 

Size : Take a piece of isinglass about the 
size of a twenty-five cent piece, and put in a 
pint of riin water scalding hot, stir until the 
isinglass is dissolved, th*en filter through filter 
paper; then add one tablespoonful of good 
whisk^y ; let stand 1 day before using. This 
size will keep a year in a bottle corked up. It 
svill work much better w'hen it has stood two 
or three weeks. 

Good, clear white G will answer if you have 
no isinglass. 

It is sometimes very covenient for the house 
painter to know how to do a job of glass gild- 
ing, and after a little practice it can be done 
very successfully by following the directions 
here given. In the first place good work can- 
not be done on poor glass. If plate glass can- 
not be had, then the best French glass should 
take its [)lace, for to the purity of the glass do 
we owe the greater part of the brilliancy of the 



50 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

work. Having secured the glass, proceed to 
clean it thoroughly with wliiting and water, pol- 
ishing the work-side with tissue paper. Apply 
the size plentifully to the glass with a clean 
camels hair spalter, and with a tip throw on 
leaf somewhat in excess to the space needed for 
the work, and when this is done let the whole 
dry, setting it up edgewise. When dry, take 
refined cotton and rub briskly until the desired 
lustre is obtained. If most of the leaf has been 
rubbed away, no matter, the lustre is there. 
Now lay a second coat in the same manner as 
the first. Wlien dry go over it again with cot- 
ton, lightly, then wash it with sizing repeatedly 
if a spotless surface is desired. When done it 
is ready for the design, which must be drawn 
on paper, pricked and pounced on the gold 
in a reverse position, for the same is to show 
from the opposite side of the glass. Having 
pounced it, proceed to paint out the whole de- 
sign with drop black in Japan, except such 
places as may need coloring or to be flatted. 
Then wash off the surplus gold with water. If 
the sizing is a little too strong add a trifle of 
naphtha to the water when washing. Such 



MILLER'8 "BOSS" PAINTER. 51 

places as are to be colored can now be attended 
to. If flat gold is to form any part, the space 
left for it is-to be laid with ordinary varnish- 
size and leaf laid in the ordinary manner, which 
on the oppo.nte side in contrast with that which 
is biirnislied will be very dead or flat. Do all 
shading backwards, and when this is dry all is 
done and if glass, tools, water and room are 
clean, a fine joi) may be expected. Silver leaf 
is worked the same way. 

To Gild on Wood, <&c. 

First get a good body with flat paint, not less 
than three coats on wood, or two on tin or iron, 
rubbed down smooth. If it is a sign you wish 
to gild avoid laying off with lead pencil, use 
soft chalk, then brush off with duster. 

For size : use old fat linseed oil, tlie older 
the better, mixed with orange chrome yellow, 
put a very little best Japan in it, thin with TT. 
Let stand 10 hours, or until it is tackey, then 
gild. 

There are various methods practised by paint- 
ers in laying gold-leaf. The old method re- 
quired the use of a "Tip," Cusliicn, asul gold 



MJLLKR'S "BOKS" PAINTER. 



knife. The tip is a camels-liaii* brush or lifter, 
made from two layers of pasteboard, between 
which a small quantity of camels-hair is laid 
flat and the parts glued- together. The cushion 
is simply a piece of chamois skin stretched 
tightly over one side of an oblong piece of wood 
six '. y eight inches, a layer or two of woolen 
cloth or of cotton is, however, first fastened to 
the board. The gold-knife has a long, narrow 
and flexible blade with wooden handle and is 
worthless for any other than the purpose in- 
tended. The gold-book is held in the left hand 
and a leaf of the book carefully turned back 
which exposes a leaf of gold, which is pressed 
upon the cushion by a dexterous reversal of the 
hands. Should the leaf wrinkle, a puff of the 
breath directly from above it, will usually 
straighten it. Next, with the gold-knife c«t 
the leaf into the widths required for the work, 
and by means oi the tip lift so much as the 
hairs will cover, and apply to the "size" begin- 
nins: at the outer end of the hair. 

.The tip must be drawn over the hair or beard 
occasionally in order to cleanse it from small 
particles of gold, and to slightly grease it. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 53 



Oriiani-ents, letters, and scrolls are usually gilt 
from the book direct. Another mode is to re- 
move the gold-leaf to an empty book the leaves 
of which have been slightly greased with soap 
or beeswax, after which the book is cut up into 
the required widths, and the gold is laid "on by 
exposing and applying it from the cut-pieces. 

C^ildiiig- Framos. 

This class of work requires more appliances 
then the general run of house })ainters have, 
I use gold laquer and sometimes good coach 
varnish for size. Bronze may be used with 
good success by coating over it with ciear white 
SH varnish. 

Flock and f^malt. 

If it is a gold sign that you wish to ih;ck or 
smalt use slow drying colors and very thick, 
taking care that the color is not fat or greasy, 
or it will spread and show a rough Q<]ge. To 
flock or smalt other work see that the work is 
flat where you do not want the flock or smait 
to stick. 

I would recommend you to make yoiii- own 
smalts. You can do ir at a cost of about one 



MILLER'S ''BOSS'^ PAINTER. 



cent a poimd. Any good, fine sand will do. 
See that it is clean, put J gallon sand in a ket- 
tle, heat it hot ; keep stirring until it is dry, 
then put in about 2 oz.s. of mixed color — the 
color that you wish — (the color should be mixed 
in good BO,) keep stirring until all the sand is 
colored even, then spread it out in the sun to 
dry, stir it up occasionally and it is ready for 
use. If you wish you can add a small quantity 
of pulverized glass or glass frosting. 

To i^ilver on Gltiss 

1. Dissolve 12 'grains of ES in bf)iling wa-^ 
terj then add, wliile l)oilino^, IG grains of NS, 
having been previously dissolved in one ounce 
of water; continue the boiling for ten minutes^ 
then add water to make 12 ounces. 

2. Dissolve 1 ounce of NS in 10 ounces of 
water ,' then add liquor ammonia until the 
brown precipitate is nearly, but not quite dis- 
solved ; then add 1 ounce alcohol and sufficient 
water to make 12 ounces. 

To silver, take equal parts of Nos. 1 and 2, 
mix thoroughly, then pour upon the glass in 
the same manner the pliotographer applies his 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 55 

solutions, or it may be applied with a brush. 
It should be applied to the glass while its sur- 
face is wet, and should previously be carefully 
cleaned with soda and rinsed with clean water. 
Distilled water slionld be used for making the 
solutions. About two drachms of each will 
silver a plate two inches square. The solution 
should stand and settle for two or three days 
before being used ; it will keep a long time. 

Kinbossiiig- by Brnsliiiig^ out on GZuiss. 

On the flashed side of the glass, or any side 
if plain glass, lay a coating of asphaltuai mixed 
with a little red lead. When dry place the 
stencil plate flat on the glass and with the use 
of a stencil brush rub a little soap upon the 
edges of the stencil plate. This will make the 
stencil air tight and prevent the TT [which is 
afterwards used] getting under the edges of the 
plate and leaving a ragged outline. With a 
similar l)rush dipped in TT rub off the asphal- 
tum, lift off the stencil and Avash away the de- 
posit, left by tlie soap and IT, in cold water. 
It is now ready for the acid [fluoric acid] to 
"bite off," wiion the f)rnameni v.'ill '-.ivc i :^'iarD 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAiKl^KH, 



clean ontliue like the stencil. Add 4 ozs. of 
vitriol to 1 pta of acid. 

Be$;t Imitation of £t(;2iifi^. 

Grind sugar of lead in damar varnish with 
TT to the consistency of cream. Write the 
word or ornament on the glass, and when set 
or nearly dry go over with dark gold bronze; 
when thoroughly dry back with light. 

A very pretty sign on glass is got by blend- 
ing the letters with copper, gold and silver 
bronze.", and back with some rich color. 

Ciiiaiii;;- on 1iJ'Ij»*«s wiiU SiSvev I..ear, 

The following receipt I give for what it is 
worth. It is the receipt that an Englishman 
sold in all the principal cities in tlie United 
States. I have never tried it, consequently 
know nothing about it. 

t^IRECTIONS FOR GILt>IN€4 OK (^LASS WiTU SIL- 
VER LEAF. Sr J 

Dissolve 2 ozs. of bi-clironiate of potash in 
water, and when dry mix with 3 ozs. or si)irits 
of wine imtil it becomes pulp. Mix the pulp 
witli Da!nar varnish to the tint of cjold required. 



MlLLFJR'S "BOSS'' PAlNl'^tt. 



Lay this on with a camel hair brush, and ivhen 
set or nearly dry hiy on the silver leaf as you 
would gold leaf. Place tiie glass side to the 
front of a fire in the winter^ or warm sun in the 
summer. This will make the spirits of wine in 
the pulp preparation to expand the silver leaf 
and take out all the marks of the joinings of 
of the leaves. Rub the silver side with cotton^ 
wool, or a piece of silk to burnish it. Back the 
ornament or letters with gold size. The heat 
having destroyed the varnish through the ac* 
tion of the bi-chroniate of potash in the pulp 
preparation, you can wash away the deposit 
left by the silver and varnish with a sponge in 
cold water, when the glass will liave all the 
beauty of gold gilding. 

The bi-^chroniate of potash should be pounds 
ed before being dissolved in the water. It will 
dissolve in 3 or 4 days. 

FlilrtE'ic Acid— Mow to lEnke It f'os* E^claisig'. 

Fluoric [sometimes called hydro-fluoric] acid 
can be made by getting thefluoror Derbyshire 
spar, pulverizing it and fTutting it into sulphur^ 
ic acid, which will eat or dissolve it. 



MILLER'S '=BOSS'* PAlNTi^Ii. 



Druggists do not generally kee}) tliis nrid, 
but can get it in the principal cities. It costs 
about 75 cents perouncCj wliicli v^iil be suffic- 
ient to do about $50 v.'ortli of woik. It is put 
up in gutta-perclia or leadbotties, tmd must be 
kept in them wiien not in use. Glass bottles, 
of couLse, will not hold it, for it will dissolve 
glass. 

After vou have etched the design and Wish 
to sliow it off to better advantage, take a fiat 
piece of brass and flour of emery and keep it wet. 
You can grind tlie light in a very sliort tinie. 
Ee sure the glass is laid fiat on a level table. 

tUf^ :TIt>tho4l of I.Ptl4»ri:i;sr, 

ROMAN. 

Tliis nnalysis is tliat of the Roman alphaliet 
proper, usually denominated tlie Fnll Roman, 
and i)y })j'inters "u[)jier case." It is tlie most 
perfectly f )rmed of all the alphabets, making 
no departure from strictly geometric rules, but 
adliering in every ])articular to lines which are 
either jiei'ffct curves or straight lines. M:inv 



MlLLfiR'S "BOSS'^ PAlNTFrk. 



Roman alphabets, so called, such as the straight 
Roman, the New York Roman, etc., are not 
correctly speaking the true, from the fact that 
the curves are not perfectly constructed, vary- 
ing from a true circle. In this analysis we 
have adopted a method in very general use 
by the best authorities on this subject, each 
letter being placed upon a framework of live 
spaces in height and five spaces in width : 






Thus giving to the student a just proportion of 
the letters as compared one with another, and 
also enabling him to increase or diminish the 
size of the squares. By this method the letters 
can be extended or contracted by changing the 
proportion of the width of the squares as com- 
pared with their height, and the letters can 



MiLLER^S 'DOSS'* PAl^sTKli. 



also be placed at any angle. The woiking scale 
or size cf square sliould always be eijiial to the 
width of the body or stem of the letter. It will 
be seen that the letters differ very nuitei'ially 
in width, as for ir.stauce, A, C, D, G, M, 6, 
Q, E, T, V, Y, Z, and tlie character &,, are all 
full letters, that is, i.lie the height and widtli 
correspond ; while in B, F, H, L, N, P, S, 
U and X, the breadth is 4-5 of the height, and 
in the W the breadth is greater by 2-5 th.an 
the heiglit. 

The body of the letter should be 1-5 of its 
h.eight, except in the curved letters, wlien it 
should be widened a triHe, asotherwi-e it would 
have the appearance of being tliinner, owing to 
the fact tliat the space between tlie curved lines 
always appears less than tha.t between straight 
lines. The fine lines siioiiM be liair lines, and 
V,'hen a scale of one inch is use<l, that is, in_ five 
inch letters, this line should not be over one 
line, or -J inch in size. The width, or spread 
of the small curves, ^sometimes called y^race 
lines) shou.id be ^- the Vt-idtli oC the body of the 
letter, and tlie spurs sliouid project as niucii 
farther, tlius tosrether csjua!ii;,a- 1-5 of ihc 



Mir.LER'S -'BOHH" J'AINTER. 61 

height of tlie letter. In some cases it is neces- 
sary to make the curves and spurs at tlie bot- 
tom of the letter a little longer than at the top. 

The A is a full letter, the outside oblique 
lines should be drawn from a point 1-10 of the 
width of tlie letter, to the right of the center 
upon the upper line; the cross line should be a 
little below the center of the letter; the grace 
lines and spurs upon the hair Inie should be 
made heavier than those upon the body> 

The B is a four-fitths letter: the cross line 
should 1)6 placed a trifle above the ccriter, thus 
making the low^er curve a little longer than the 
upper, and giving the letter stability of form ; 
the curves can be mide with compasses, by 
using the points marked with crosses as centers; 
the width of the body of the curves should be a 
trifle more than one-fiftli of the height of the 
letter. 

The C is a full letter; the outside line is the 
circumference of a perfect circle; the inside 
curve can also be drawn with compasses by 
changing the center illustrating a crescent. 
The body of the letter should be a little more 
than one-fifth of the height, and the heaviest 



62 MILLP^U'rf --BOSS'' PAINTER. 

part should be below the center, the perpen- 
dicular line on the head should be a little 
within the circle, so that the lower part of the 
letter will appear broader the upper part. 

The D is a little less than a full letter; the 
larger curve is a perfect arc; the inner curve 
can be made by changing the center and using 
the same radius as for tiie outside curve; tlie 
body of the curve should be a ti-ifte wider than 
tiie upright body. 

The E is a four-fifths letter; the lower should 
be a little longer than the upper; the grace lines 
of the heads should be long and made with 
perfect curves; the perpendiculars of the lower 
head should be extended a little longer than 
the upper; the center piece should project just 
one-half of the distance to the outside of the 
letter, and be pUiced a little ab;;ve the center. 

The same rules apply to the F, which is a 
four-fifths letter, with the exception that the 
perpendicular ot the center piece should be a 
little longer th.au in the E. 

The G is a full letter and the rules for mak- 
ing it are the same as for the C, with the ex- 
ception that the greatest \vidth of the body 



.Mil.LER'S "EO^S" PAl^sTER. 63 

slioiild be directly at the center of the letter; 
the lower right hand part of should be fully 
one-fifth of the width of the letter and the hor- 
izontal line should be drawn a little below the 
center, and extend from the center to the same 
distance outside of the letter as the spurs. 

The H is a lour-filt!is letter ; the cross line 
should be placed ab:)ve the center, and the low- 
er grace lines should be n trifle longer than 
the upper. 

The I is one-fifth of the height; the lower 
curves should be a little longer than 'the up- 
per. 

In tlie proportions of the J authorities differ, 
some giving it four-fifths, and others three- 
fifths of its height. In this analysis I give it 
as a three-fifths letter ; the ball is two-fifths of 
its height, and should be an oval in form. 

The K is a full letter ; the body is one-fifth 
of the height. From the upper inside point of 
the body draw an oblique line to the lower 
right hand corner of fifth space; then form a 
point on the body two-fifths of the height of 
the letter from the bottom line; draw another 
oblique line to the upper right hand corner of 



64 MILLERS "BJSS^' PA1NTP:R. 

the fourth space on the upper line. This will 
give a correct outline for the K; a more definite 
uudertanding can be had from studying the 
letter. 

The L is a four-fifths letter ; the perpendicu- 
lar line of the arm should be about one-half 
the height of the letter, the same as in the 1^. 

The M is a full letter. The middle lines 
should meet the lower line at a point three- 
fifths of the width from the right hand of the 
letter; the small curves on the hair line should 
be heavier than on the other letters. 

The N is a tour-fitths letter; the grace lines 
should correi^pond with those of the M; the left 
hand one, however, sliould be a trifle heavier 
than the right It and. 

Th.e O is a full letter, and can be made by 
following the rules for making the G. 

The P is a four-fifths letter. The cross line 
should be at tlie center of the height of the let- 
ter; the curves can be made with compasses, 
and the body of the curves should be a little 
more than one-fifth of the width of the letter. 

The Q is a full letter, and is made the same 
as the O; the tail should extend to the outside 



MILLER'S "BOSy" PAINTER. 65 

limit of the letter, to the right, and should be 
at least one-fifth of the height of the letter be- 
low the line; and it will be found well not to 
vary much from the Hue of beauty in its forma- 
tion. 

The R is made the same as B or P, with the 
exception that the tail is extended, making it a 
full letter. The shape of the tail varies with 
different authorities, either being brought down 
to a horizontal base and finished with a spur, 
or carved at the end ; in either case the general 
outline should be the line of beauty. 

The S is the most beautiful and the most dif- 
ficult letter of the alphabet to form correctly; 
it is a four-fifths letter, and it is formed by two 
lines of beauty. -The upper half should be a 
little smaller than the lower half. A conveni- 
ent manner of drafting this letter is as follows : 
take as centers points three-tenths of the height 
of the letter, from the left hand upper corner 
and right hand hand lower corner, describe two 
circles and connect arcs. This is not absolutely 
correct, yet it will serve as a guide to uu- 
trained hands, and from it can be formed a 
perfect letter l)y changing the curves a little. 



MILLER'S "B0S8" PAINTER. 



The T is a full letter. The upright lines 
should be two-fifths of the height of the letter, 
and the grace lines should correspond with 
those of the E and F. 

The U is a four-fifths letter. The hair line 
on the right, with the grace lines correspond- 
ing with those in the N. The curves at the 
bottom are made with a radius of two-fifths of 
the height of the letter. 

The N is a full letter. The hair line, with 
the grace line, is formed similar to those in the 
U. The point where the oblique lines meet on 
the lower line should be equally distant from 
the outside limits of the width of the letter. 

The W occupies more space than any other 
letter, being a seven-fifths letter. The points 
on the lower line for the meeting of the oblique 
lines should be two-fifths of the height of the 
letter from each side, and the body of the sec- 
ond V should occupy the middle space of the 
upper line. This can best be understood by 
studying the plate. 

The X is a four-fifths letter, formed simply 
by an oblique cross. Care should be taken, 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 67 

however, to have the upper half a little smaller 
than the lower half. 

The Y is a full letter. The upright part of 
the body should be just one-half the height of 
the letter, but the point where - the hair line 
connects with the body should be a little above 
the center ot the letter. 

The Z is a full letter. The lower arm should 
occupy the whole width of the letter, but the 
upper arm should be about one line shorter. 
The perpendicular lines from the arms should 
be about two-fifths of the height of the letter, 
the right hand one being a trifle longer. 

The character & occupies a full space. In 
the form of this character authorities differ 
very materially. It is an abreviation of the 
Latin word Et, meaning and, aud was origi- 
nally a perfect representation of the letters E 
and T, but time has changed its form so that 
its original signification can scarcely be dis- 
tinguished. The form given here is the most 
popular as well as the most graceful, and com- 
ing nearest the to the original can be made as 
follows : with a radius equal to a' out three- 
tenths of the heigrht of the character describe 



68 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

an arc of three-quarters of a circumference ; 
from the left hand termination of the arc with 
a loop form a curve ending in an oval, this 
forms the E ; from the other extremity of the 
arc draw a line of beauty to the upper line of 
the space, this forms the cross of the T and 
completes the character. The body of the 
curve should be one-fifth of the height of the 
letter. 

LOWER CASE ROMAN. 

The small class or lower case Roman letters 
are not so universally employed by sign-writers 
as the capitals, yet there are times when a 
knowledge of their forms and proportions is 
very important, especially with designers and 
draftsmen. 

Painters vary considerably in forming these 
letters, yet the proportion of the width to the 
height should always be preserved, in order to 
form well balanced and graceful characters. 
It will be observed that the proportion of these 
letters differs a little from that of the capitals. 
In all of the full space letters : b, c, d, e, g, k, 
0, p, q, V, y and z, the height is a trifle greater 



MILLER'S "BOSS'' PAINTER. 



ihau the width ; the body of tlie b, d, f, h, k 
and 1 extend three spaces above the line, and 
that of the t two spaces ; the body of the g, j, 
p, q and y, extend three spaces ])elow the line ; 
the m and w are 7-5 space letters. The body 
of each letter should be 1-5 of the height of 
the letter. The f, j and r are 3-5 space letters, 
and the 1 and i 1-5 space letters. 

The curve of all the letters with the excep- 
tion of those of the a, lower part of the g, and 
the s, can be made with the compasses. The 
spurs should extend at least 1-10 of the height 
of the letters ; the small curves or grace lines 
may be used or not, as taste dictates. 

The capital diphthongal characters ^ and 
Q5 occupy an 8-5 space each, and are made ac- 
cording to the rules for tiie capitals, except 
that the body ot tlie F is incorporated as a 1-5 
part of tlie A and O. Tiie lower case dij)h- 
thongal chai-acters also follow the rules for the 
small letters, the cliaracter vc occupying an 8-5 
space, and the C8 a 9-5 space. 

In addition to the Full Ronuin there are oili- 
er forms of the Roman letter, among which a 
few of the most po})ular are, the '"^tniii^ht Ro 



70 MILLER'S "BOSS** PAINTER. 

man, New York Roman, Italic and Antique 
or old style. It will be needless to give a full 
analytical plate of each of these forms, as the 
analysis of the Full Eoman will answer as a 
guide for their construction. 

THE STRAIGHT ROMAN 

Differs from the Full Roman from the fact that 
tlie outlines of the body of the letters are 
straight lines — the small curves or grace lines 
which characterize and beautify the full letter 
being dispensed with; this letter is also slightly 
contracted in width, being as a rule about 4-5 
of the height. The C, G, K, M, O, Q, T, X 
and V, should, however, be nearly full space 
letters, and the W should occupy about a 6-5 
space. The lower case letters of this style dif- 
fer from those already given only from the fact 
that the grace lines are not used. 

BLOCKS. 

The finished block, either round or square^ 
wiil be 2;iven the same space as the Roman. 

The unfinished block will occupy the same 
space, except the M, W and H, which will re- 



MILLER'S "BOSS'' PAI:NTER. 



71 



quire one-fifth more space, the / one-half the 
the space. The rule for the formation of all 
letters is as follows : 

DIAGRAM. 



\b b \ a 

a a — Top and bottom lines. 
b b — The space the letter occupies, 
c — Center line. 
d d — Body lines, 
e e — Used only for block letters. 

In laying off work avoid using the lead pen- 
cil. I would recommend the use of soft chalk, 
which can be rubbed off easily wlieu finished. 

A good way to space a sign that is to be 
painted on a brick wall is to follow a mortar 
joint for top and bottom lines. Cuunt the 



72 MILLER*S "BOSiS- PAiNTEH. 

number of bricks ruiiDiiig through and divide 
by tlie number of letters and spaces. For ex- 
ample you wish to paint the word grocery. 
You have here seven letters ; give one-halt of 
a space at each end, which would mike eight 
letters and spaces, and the sign is 20 bricks 
long. The size of the space for each letter 
would be 2 J bracks, and IJ brick at each end. 
The same rule can be observed on board work 
by measuring the length of the line and divid-^ 
ins into feet and inclies. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAlNTEit. 



—GRAINING.— 

One cannot reasonably expect to become 
proficient in the art of graining save by a reg- 
ular course of training, under the guidance of 
a ."kiilful master, but it is witliin the power of 
the average painter to perform work of this 
character that may well pass inspection, when 
done with care and the observance of a few 
})]aiu rules, such as I propose offering in this 
article. In the first place, the amateur must 
not attempt too much in the way of embellish- 
ment or effect, but must confine himself to the 
execution of a neat, plain and substantial job, 
taking care to mix his colors properly and to 
have his groundwork smooth and in good con- 
dition for operating upon. 

If the woodwork be old })ainted work, it 
must be rubbed down with sand paper until 
smooth and even, all the cracks putied up witli 
hard drying putty [mixed with japan to (juick- 



n MILLER*S "BOSS" PAlNTEtl. 

en its drying] and a coat of ground color ap- 
plied. This must be mixed with nearly all 
turps, as the less oil enters into graining the less 
will be its liability to crack after being varnished , 
The grainer, as a general thing, is never sat 
isfied with any job that he does, but lets it pass 
because, nine times out of ten, he is not paid 
sufficiently to justify himself to put in more 
time on the work, consequently the work is 
butchered. 

The tools necessary to do graining of the va 
rious kinds are as follows : 
Oak — 1 set steel combs* 
1 sash too). 
1 rubbing in brush. 
Rubber combs to suit fancy. 
Walnut, Rosewood, Maple, &c. — 

Long hogs hair over-grainer. 

Tube camels-hair over-grainer, 

Camels hair pencil. 

Sponge. 

Blender. 

Rubbing-in brush and tool. 

Stippling brush, (duster will do.) 

Flat Fitch. 



MILLER'S "BUSS" PAl^TEK. 76 

Colors. 

Vandyke brown in oil and distemper. 

Kaw and burnt sienna in oil and distemper. 
" umber '* 

Lager beer, oil, turps and japan. 

Rosewood Ground. — Do not use lead for 
priming, use oclire. Second coat, use Vene- 
tion red with a little chrome yellov*' in it, and 
tolerably flat. Use for last coat, American 
Vermillion with a little chrome yellow in it. 
Work it almost dead flat. In preparing your 
ground see that your work is well rubbed and 
puttied before graining. 

Grain. — Vandyke brown tliinned with lager 
beer 'should be used for the over grain. Some 
use vinegar, but it does not work as well as the 
beer, and it should be diluted w^ith sugar and 
water. The growths should be put in with the 
brown in oil. Use a fitch for the growths; the 
over grainer and pencil for the grain, which, 
after it is dry, thin down and put on a glaze 
over all. Shade as you go. Then varnisli 
v/hen dry. 

Black Walnut Ground. — Mix as near a 
dove color as you can, a.s fellows : White lead^ 



76 MILLER'S "BOSS'' PAlNTMi. 

chrome yellow, Venetian red, burnt umber, 
and very little black. 

Grain. — Stipple with burnt umber 3 parts, 
raw sienna 1 part, thin with beer. A common 
duster will do to stipple with. Work in the 
growths with burnt umber in oil ; with pencil 
blend them out well, and when dry put on thin 
glaze in oil ; add a little raw sienna to the um- 
ber. Wipe out with rag. Put in dark, heavy 
knots with a fitch or small sash tool. It is done 
by twisting the brush around, and with 
very little practice is easily done, and sets-off the 
work to good advantage. When dry varnish. 

White Walnut Ground. — Dark buff or 
russet color. Stipple with raw umber in beer. 
Put in growths with raw umber 3 parts, burnt 
Umber and raw sienna 1 part in oil, and when 
dry thin down, glaze and shade. 

In graining walnut woods, use the flat over- 
grainer brush and pencils. 

English Walnut Ground.— Very light 
buff. Stipple with burnt umber in beer. Over- 
grain with Vandyke brown in oil. Thin down; 
glaze and shade with the same. Varnish when 
dry. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



Oak Ground. — Light buii'. White lead, 
clirome yellow and very little Venetian red. 
Grain with burnt umber, raw sienna and very 
little burnt sienna in oil and turpentine, half 
and half; add a little beeswax dissolved in oil. 
Use the steel comb, and also get apiece of rub- 
ber about 4 inches long, 2 inches wide and J 
inch thick, and cut notches in it about J inch 
apart. Use the rubber for the heavy growths. 
After usitig the rubber, draw the steel comb 
diagonally across the work Use soft canton 
flannel over the thumb nail to wipe out the 
lights, hearts, &c. When dry sha,de with some 
color; throw in shades with rubbing-in brush 
and tool, wipe out with rag. I can give you 
no designs, but would advise you to study the 
wood, and do not try to beat the one that 
made it grow. 

Pine Ground. — Light buff. Grain with 
burnt sienna in oil. 

Maple Ground.- — Same as oak. Grain 
with raw umber in beer. Use the points of 
your fingers to make the bird eyes, and a flat 
varnish to make the curls, &c,, also, over- 
grainer to make the growths. 



MILi.ER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



iSlaiiis Graiuiiig'* 

In addition to the art of imitating the grain- 
ing of woods, marble?, etc, by oil colors, there 
are methods of bringing out with effect and 
beauty, as well as of preserving, the natural 
graining of woods, etc.,- and also of imitating, 
heightening and improving them artificially, 
though less practiced is not less ingenious or 
worthy of inattention from the grainer, it be- 
ing as desirable to heighten and preserve the 
natural beauty of woodwork as by artificial 
painting to imitate them or hide their defects. 
For bringing out the natural grain of wood- 
work where it is of sufiicient beauty, it is 
enough to apply successive coats of drying oil 
or to varnish the naked work till it bears out, 
which is sufficient for ordinary joiner's work, 
but for the nicer cabinet work, in which the 
choice ornamental woods are employed, French 
polishing is necessary, which is performed with 
a spirit varnish containing lac, applied by rub- 
bers with linseed oil, and is now so common as 
to have become a distinct business. In other 
cases graining may be performed on the naked 
wood with transparent colors in turpentine or 



MILLER'.S "BOSH" PAINTER. 79 

water, Avhich when dry may be varnished or 
French polished, or the same may be done on 
the ordinary woods previously stained of the 
colors of the more valuable sorts. A beautiful 
variety of graining may be executed with 
strong acids on plain word brought out by heat, 
in which way the nitrous acids or aqua fortis 
applied affords amber and yellow shades, and 
Ihe sulphuric acid yields shades of a dusky and 
darker hue, so as together to imitate the various 
hues of the tortoise shell, etc., after which the 
work is to be cleaned off* and varnished or pol- 
ished. 



80 MILLER'S "BOS«" PAINTER. 



—STAINS.— 

To Make Red Sanders Stain. 

Fill a bottle of any size a little more than 
one-quarter full of red sanders, then fill the bot- 
tle up with AC. The AC extracts the color 
from the sanders, and the liquid is called san- 
ders stain, or red sanders stain. The more red 
sanders you put into the bottle the stronger 
will be the stain, while it can at any time be 
diluted with AC to make lighter shades. The 
longer it remains in the bottle the more color 
will be extracted. Always strain it through a 
piece of thin muslin before throwing the grounds 
away. Ask for red sanders at any drug 
store. It is a red wood dust. Ten cents a 
pound is what I have been paying at all whole- 
sale druggists. Do not ask for IcvSS than half a 
pound, or you may be charged at a high rate. 

To Mix Sanders Stain with Aspliaituin Varnisli 

It you pour red sanders stain in with asphal- 
tum they will not mix of themselves, but by 



MILLER'S ''B0«3" PAII^iTER. 



addirg TT sufficient to thin to a proper co^Bi^^t- 
cncy, tlio TT will cau.^e both stains to unite. 
The Sanders give the red shade, and the as- 
plialtum gives the dark — more or less of either 
will giv3 the required shade according to the 
ytrengtli. 

N. B- — The stronger the red sanders stain is 
made the less of it will be required to give suf- 
ficient red, and of course the less x\C wdll be 
used. It requires very little sanders to get red 
enough. It is the liquid, not the grounds of 
the red sanders you mix with the asphaltum. 
The grounds are, as stated in making sanders 
stains, thrown away. After mixirig these two 
stahis you had better strain it to take the dross 
from the asphaltum. 

Oai Mixing: Ag-aisi. 

Red sanders stain can be mixed with umber 
ground in oil or turpentine. TT will mix it 
with all other colors, and it is better and more 
of a mahogany or rosewood red than all other 
stains. TT will also mix asi)haltum with um- 
ber, and make it adhere to the wood better. 
In fact, a number of practical experiments can 
• 



82 MILLER'S -BOSS" PAINTER. 

be made with sanders and asphaltum mixed 
with many other colors, turpentine mixing 
them either with oils or alcohol colors, and of 
course with turpentine colors. 

Wood Stains. 

Light Woods to Mahogany. — Mix red 
sanders stain and asphaltum stain (see mixing 
stains), and when it is the desired color apply 
with a brush. Do not have the stain too thick. 
If the wood is not stained sufficiently red to 
suit your fancy, you may put red sanders stain 
into the varnish, and every coat of the stained 
varnish will make the w^ood more red. N. B. 
— The stronger the red sanders stain is made 
the less it takes to color the varnish. And 
thus you use less AC which is at present prices 
the most expensive article you have to get, 
Thin the varnish when you mix stain with it 
for first coat ; by so doing you can spread the 
color more evenly (in mixing stains and var- 
nishes). 

Walnut to Light Mahogany. — With 
either a rag or brush rub over the wood a col- 
oring of red sanders stain, and you have a per- 



MILLEH'H "BOSS" PAI^^TER. 



feet mahogany And by either oil-finishing or 
varnishing, the color will be brought out. Red 
Sanders stnin dries almost immediately, and can 
be finished right off. 

N. B. — Some walnut wood is light, some 
dark, consequently make the stain strong or 
weak to suit the wood. You can at any time 
^ive more coloring to the wood if necessary by 
mixing stain with the varnish, even after var- 
nish has been applied to the wood. 

Walnut to Dark Mahogany. — First go 
over the work v.ith asphaltum stain then with 
the Sanders, be sure you do not have the as- 
phaltum too thick or the work will be too dark. 

Another Mahogany Stain. — Dragon'3 
blood used the same ns red sanders, but it is 
too expensive and does not stand so well. 

Again. — By applying aquafortis diluted with 
water to dark new woods will make a mahog- 
any, but I don't recommend it, as aquafortis is 
expensive and dan2;erous. 

To Darken Mahogany. — Use sal soda or 
lye, but do not have it too strong ; dilute it 
with water. This is to make light mahogany 
into dark Spanish. 



84 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

MisJog' Staiais 'svitli Varisislies. 

Red ganders stain and asphaltiim stain can 
be mixed with the varnisli. If the varnish is 
made from turpentine they will mix readily. 
If made from oil or alcohol, turpentine will 
cause the asphaltum to mix. 

Knotty Pine Mahogany. — Mix whiting 
with warm wUter to consistency of thick white- 
wash, put in as much Venetian red as will give 
it a red appearance ; now mix in sufficient dis- 
solved glue as will make the mixture adhere 
to the wood. By giving the wood two coats of 
this mixture the flaws, knots, etc., will be hid- 
den, and when well dry rub off the loose siz- 
ing, then varnish with red sanders stain in the 
varnish, and you have a very good appearing 
stain. Brown umber or any colors may be 
used in the above sizing to suit the fancy for 
colors, or to darken the mahogany. 

Walnut for White Wood. — A solution 
of equal parts of permanganate of potash and 
sulphate of magnesia applied to white wood by 
means of a brush will produce an excellent 
brown color resembling walnut. A second 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 85 

coat may be required after the first coat is dry. 

Walnut Again. — Burned umber, burned 
sienna and boiled linseed oib ground fine. This 
is not durable, as the oil or varnish is required 
to protect it from coming off. 

Walnut Again. — One ounce gum asphal- 
tum, three or four ounces turpentine, one ounce 
boiled linseed oil, and Venetian red to color red 
— an old way. 

Imitation Black Walnut. — Poplar or 
White wood treated as follows will assume the 
appearance of the finest black walnut. The 
wood must be dry and warm, and then coated 
once or twice with a strong aqueous solution of 
extract of walnut peel. When half dried the 
wood is brushed with a solution compounded 
of 1 part y weight of bichromate of potassa 
in 5 parts of boiling water, and after drying 
thoroughly is rubbed and polished. The stain 
penetrates to the depth of from one-twelfth to 
one-sixth of an inch. 

For Rosewood. — Dissolve two ounces pul- 
verized extract of logwood in one pint of boil- 
ing water (better let it boil till dissolved.) Ap- 
plv two coats to the wood while hot, and, (o 



MlLl^ER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



make the rosewood grain, stripe it according to 
fancy, when dry rub off' all the black you can 
with a rough cloth. 

EosEWOOD Again. — Half pound of red gan- 
ders and half pound logwood, boiled in one 
gallon of water for one hour ; strain and add 
half an ounce of powdered AN ; go over the 
wood with this wdiile hot, and when dry ; form 
dark streaks with logwood without red sanders, 
boiled in the same proportions. The dark 
streaks can be made black by adding one-quar- 
ter of an ounce of green copperas to the gallon 
of a pure logwood stain. You can shade the 
first mixture by proportioning the red sanders 
and logwood in first stain. 

Beantifnl Shades on liiglit Colored Woods 

Can be made by liolding a flat piece of red hot 
iron close to the wood so as to scorch it irregu- 
lary ; also, by heating sand as hot as you can 
and throwing it on the wood in uneven thick- 
ness. This will bring out very beautiful 
shades. 

Cherry. — Rub over tlie light wood the red 
sanders stain and it will be a s^ood cherry, bu 



MILLER'S -'BOSS" PAINTER. 87 

do not have the stain too strong or it ^Yill be 
too red. 

Cherry again. — Boil one ounce annatto in 
twelve ounces rain water ; v, hen the color s 
well extracted put in a bit of potash the size of 
two peas, and keep it on the fire a half hour or 
longer. This raises the grain. 

Satin Wood. — Can be o])taiued with very 
light Sanders stains on light v>u)ods. It must 
only be tinged. 

stains for Vesseers, 

Red. — Brazil wood, fourteen parts; alum 
four parts, water eighty -five part^. Boil. 

Blue. — Logwood seven parts, blue vitriol 
one part, water twenty-five parts. Boil. 

Green. — Verdigris one part, vinegar three 
parts. Dissolve. 

Yellow. — Fench berries seven parts, water 
ten parts, alum one part. Boil. 

Purple. — Logw^ood eleven parts, alum three 
parts, water twenty-nine parts. Boil. 

Apply the above with a rag, hot, [except 
the green]. These stains will raise the grain, 
and must of course be rubbed down before var- 



88 Mli.LEJl'.S"J^OSS" PAINTER. 

uisluiig. They will not be suitable to go over 
old varnish, but are good for new veneers. 

Eemembee This. — It is impossible to give 
the quantities in many receipts. Sometimes 
you purchase things with more coloring matter. 
and less would be required. The liquids are 
sometimes of a higher proof, and in a thousand 
and one ways you may go wrong if exact quan- 
tities were given. Experiment with a very 
little, and do not spoil or waste any large 
quantity. '1 his refers to sliades of stains 
mostly. 

Staining Floors, Old or New. — To half 
a pint of asphaltum varnish add two table- 
spoonsful of umber (ground in oil); thin this 
with boiled oil and turpentine (half as much 
oil as turpentine); then shade with red sanders 
stain, and by mixing a little turpentine varnish 
it will wear better. Apply with a brush, not- 
too thick, and mix in a little Japan dryer to 
dry the varnish. 

Orange Stain. — Use vermillion or carmine 
mixed with chrome yellow, and be sure and 
lave a good full yellow, or it will look poor or 
wat(M'v. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



Salmon Stain. — Dutch pink and red Sand- 
ers stain. 

Flesh Colok. — Can be made by using dif- 
ferent quantities of Dutch pink and red sanders 
stain. 

Purple Stain. — Lake united with Prussian 
blue or carmine. 

Purple. — To a pound of good chip logwood 
put three quarts of water, boil for an hour, 
then add four ounces of pearlash and two 
ounces of indigo pounded. 



00 MILLER'S "BOSS" PaINTER. 



THE HARMONY AND DISCORD OF 
COLORS. 

Even many calling themselves decorative art- 
tists ignore the laws of nature, which control in 
the matter of harmony and contrast. Practi- 
cally, they act upon the theory that colors may 
be arranged in a scheme, with a view to an- 
swer the caprice of the artist or his patron. He 
goes on arranging colors in his work upon the 
theory or supposition that a certain tint qr 
shade will look well on a given feature or part 
of his work, without reference to its collocation 
in regard to other c(;lors. On the contrary, 
harmony or discord in color depends not on 
will or caprice or personal taste of anyone, but 
is based on certain unchangeagle laws. These 
are a matter of study and experience. By 
these terms, harmony and discord, we under- 
stand colors, placed side b}' side, will either al- 
ter the effect of each other, or completins- one 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



another will beighteu the effect of each. Per- 
sons familiar with this subject can by so ar- 
ranging colors or objects of familiar use, with 
reference to color, in furnishing or fitting up 
apartments, in dressing, or in decorating walls, 
as to produce, even with the greatest simplicity, 
a more agreeable effect tlian is possible with 
the most extravagant expenditure, without a 
sense of harmony and discord. 

HARMONY. 

Red and Green. — A red body reflects green 
rays, while, on the other hand, a green body 
reflects red rays. Therefore, green is the color 
which completes red, and similarly red is tlie 
color which completes green. Both colors, 
therefore, gain in intensity. 

Blue and Orange. — A blue body often re- 
flects orange rays, and, inversely, an orange 
body will frequently reflect the blue rays. 
Orange is, therefore, the complementary color 
of blue, and vice versa ; therefore each color in- 
tensifies the other, 

Violet and Greenish Yellow, — A violet 
body reflects greenish yellow, and, inversely, a 



92 MILLER'8 "BOSS*' PAINTER. 

greenish yellow body reflects violet. Both col- 
ors, therefore, complete each other and intensi- 
fy each other. 

Indigo and Yellow. — Indigo reflects yel- 
low, and yellow indigo rays, hence they are 
complementary and intensify each other. 

It would carry us too far to describe all the 
other colors which are complementary 

DISCOED OF COLORS. 

1. Two simple colors. — Red and Yellow, 
Bed appears darker purple, because the indigo 
rays are imp.irted to it from the yellow; yellow 
appears greenish, because green rays are im- 
parted to it from the rod. 

Yellow andB lue. — Yellow takes away the 
orange rays from the blue and appears red- 
dish ; blue absorbs the indigo rays from the yel- 
low and appears darker. 

Blue and Red — Blue appears greenish 
from the effect of the green rays of the red; red 
on the contrary, from the orange rays of the 
blue, Appears yellowish. 

2. A compound color and a primary color,, 
the hitter beinof contained in the former : — 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 93 

Ked and Orange. — Red absorbs the blue 
rays from the orange and appears bluish violet; 
orange is influenced by the green rays of the 
red, and appears yellowish, i. e., lighter. 

Red and Violet. — Red beside violet ap- 
pears yellower, because it receives the yellow 
rays from the latter ; violet appears darker be- 
cause greenish rays are absorbed by it.' 

Orange and Yellow. — Orange loses from 
its yellow and appears redder; the yellow ap- 
pears more greenish. 

Green and Yellow. — Green loses its yel- 
low and appears darker, more blue ; the yellow 
is influenced by the reddish rays of the green 
and appears reddish, i. e., orange. 

Green and Blue. — The green appears 
lighter, more yellow, as if it were faded; the 
blue appears reddish alongside of the blue, i. e., 
like violet, 

Violet and Blue. — The violet loses its 
blue and assumes a reddish appearance in com- 
parison wdth the blue, that is greenish. 

3. Two compound colors which have one 
primary color in common. 

Orange and Green. — Both colors contain 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



rays of yellow, and each loses some of its tint 
by contact, the orange appearing more red, and 
green more blue. 

Green and Violet. — Both of these colors 
have blue in common, and hence by contact 
each loses in appearance, the green becoming 
more blue and the violet more red. 

Violet and Orange. — These two colors 
have the red rays in common, which is les- 
sened by contact, the violet becoming more 
blue, while the orange appears more yellowish. 

Phenomena of Gradual Contrast. 
It has been stated in our remarks on the har- 
mony and discord of colors tliat red reflects 
green rays, and the green reflects the red rays : 
that all colors have their completing or comple- 
mentary shades, which may be observed by the 
eye. This statement will be confirmed in the 
following: Ifone fixes his eyes for sometime 
on a red object, and then quickly looks away 
or close the eye, it appears just as if the same 
object apeared before him in green. Similarly 
agreeii object, when stared at, produces a red 
effect when tlie eye looks away. When one 



MILLER'S "EOSS'^ PAINTER. 95 

looks at a blue object for some time there is pro- 
duced in the eye the sensation as if one saw an 
orange object, and con tvavi wise, an orange-col- 
ored object appears as if it were blue. 

VVlien these colors are seen singly, as for in- 
stance, in the form of flowers, or some other 
ornamentation on a light grey back-ground, 
and closely watched for some time, it will be 
found that after a while the grey. ground will 
appear slightly tinged by the complementary 
color. In the same way Avith — 

Ked, the grey ground is tinged greenish. 
Green, '' ** reddish. 

Blue, '* " orange. 

Orange, " " bluish. 

Violet, " '' yellowish. 

With wall-papers and woven fabrics these 
facts have been noticed, and even have led to 
serious disputes. Thus, for instance, at Pans, 
in a factory of wall-papers, a case occurred in 
which a color-mixer was found fault with for 
having used greenish gray instead of an ash 
gray as a back-ground for a pattern of red 
flowers and garlands. His justification how- 



9G • MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

ever, was at hand, in the shape of a remnant 
of the gray pigment, which, when examined 
by itself, was in reality of ash gray tint. It 
was Chevreul, the distinguished chemist and 
director of the Gobelin Manufactory, of Paris, 
who related the previous case, and the diffi- 
culty was settled by his showing that the red 
flowers imparted the greenish tint to the gray 
ground. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 97 



COIMPOUNDI^' G OF COLORS. 

It would be an endless task to enumerate all 
the colors formed by the mixture of various 
colors. I give, therefore, the simplest method 
of making the various tints, leaving the paint- 
er to exercise his own judgment as regards oth- 
ers not mentioned. Everyone knows that it 
would be foolish to attempt to give the exact 
proportions of the various colors, consequently 
I will not attempt it, but recommend you to add 
little by little of the colors until you have the 
desired shade. 

Straw, add chrome yellow to white lead. 
Silv&i- Grey, add lamp black and indigo to 

white lead. 
Rose or pink, add carmine or lake to v\'hite lead. 
Pea Green, add chrome green to *' 

Lead Color, add lamp black to " 

Brilliant Green, add emerald green to " 
Bright Green, add Paris green to " 

Drab, add umber to white lead. 
Buff, add yellow ocbre to white lead. 



98 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

Salmon, add red, umber and yellow to wh. lead. 

Flesh, add carmine to straw. 

Dark Green, add black to chrome yellow. 

Brown, add red to black. 

Purple, add red to light blue. 

Pearl, add blue to lead color. 

Oran2:e, add vermillion to chrome yellow. 

Olive, add chrome yellow, blue, black and red. 

Chestnut, add white to brown. 

Chocolate, add yellow to brown. 

Cream, white tinted with red and yellow. 

French White, white tinted with purple. 

Pearl White, white tinted with blue and purple. 

Ashes of Koses, white tinted lead color and 
lake. 

French Gray, white tinted with black and 
purple. 

Russett, yellow ochre and Venetian red. 

Stone, Venetian red, lamp black, chrome yel- 
low and white. 

Stone, [for inside work,] umber, black, red 
and white. 

Stone, [for rough work,] yellow ochre, brown, 
black and white. 

Peach Blossom, Venetian red and white. 



. MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



Maroon, yellow ochre, red and white | 

DURABLE COLORS FOR OUTSIDE WORK. 

Venetian Red, Indian Red, 

Chrome Green, Roman Ochre, 

*' Yellow, Yellow " 

Prussian Blue, Oxide of Iron, 

Antwerp Blue, Spanish Brown, 

Intense Blue, Ivory Black, 

Lamp Black. 
Do not use for outside work umber or sienna, 

as they are transparent colors and will soon 

lose their brilliancy. 



lUU MILLER'S "BOSS'TAII^TER. 



CARRIAGE MAKERS DEPARTMENT. 

The main object to be attained is to get a 
good foundation to v/ork upon. In working 
rough stuff carriage painters get too much oil 
in it, and it does not dry; and when they go to 
rub it down it rolls up. 

Mixing iloiag-li StuST. 

The methods of mixing rough stuff are as va- 
rious, almost, as the faces of the painters who 
are required to mix it. The chief requisite is 
to select certain coarse gritty pigments, such as 
yellow ocher, French umber or English filling. 
\¥hatever paint is selected, it is of vital im- 
portance that the paint should be ground ex- 
ceedingly fine. Ttie liquids required are con- 
fined to japan,, oil, turpentine and varnish, 
and they must be selected and proportioned ac- 
cording to the time allowed for the rough stuff 
to harden. Japan hastens, and oil retards the 
drying. The following recipes have been test- 
ed and are known to be good : 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 101 

1. English filliDg, 5 lbs.; keg lead, 1 ib.; 
mixed into fi stiff paste with equal parts of 
either gold size or best brown japan, and 
three-day rubbing varnish ; add a gill of vrw 
oil. 

2. Yellow ochre or French umber, 5 lb?.; 
keg lead. 1^ lbs.; mix stiff in japan and add a 
gill of raw oil, and a half pint of the bottoms 
of wearing varnish. 

3. Burnt umber 3 parts, silica 2 parts, yel- 
low ochre 1 part ; mix stiff in either brown ja- 
pan or gold size, and bottoms of wearing body 
varnish. 

The above recipes produce tough, durable 
coatings, but for lightning dryers omit the oil 
and oil lead. 

The carriage painter will save labor by using 
clean color, varnish and brushes ; always strain 
your color before using ; never mix more than 
is sufficient for immediate use ; never draw 
from the can more varnish than is necessary, 
and if you have any left do not put it back in 
the can without, straining. 

The methods of doing work of this class are 
various. I will endeavor to explain my m.eth- 
• 



102 MILLER'S "BUSS" PAINTER. 

od. First clean off the work ; get it free from 
grease and dust ; rub down all rough places ; 
then give it a good coat of rough stuff; let it 
get dry. Then plaster it well with putty, 
which is made as follows : If it is an old job, or 
new, and you have but little time; use SW 
mixed into a stiff paste with rubbing varnish, 
with a little good japan, (use no oil). When 
dry cut it down with sandpaper, then flow on 
two good coats of fiat color, the last coat with a 
little rubbing varnish in it ; then cut it down 
with PS; then coat with rubbing varnish, with 
very little color in it ; then cut all down until 
it is level, when it is ready for striping, then 
flow on the finishing varnish. 

To Mix Striping Colors. 

Take one part rubbing varnish, two parts 
finishing varnish, and one part turpentine. 
Bottle it up, shake it well, and set away for a 
few days. 

With the exception of lakes which are slow 
dryers, this vehicle will dry as rapidly as any 
raixtiire that can be produced, with the advant- 
age also of free working color. For carmine 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 103 

and lake add a few drops of japan to the quan- 
tity of vehicle required to mix the color. Dur- 
ing the summer- solstice when the painter is 
daily called upon to perform miracles almost in 
"rushing-out" work, the above mixture will be 
found far superior to the usual one of japan 
and turpentine. 

Quick color should be kept in small pans of 
tin or stoneware, rather than in a tough mass 
on a palette-board to be worked down with the 
pencil. Grind the color to about the consist- 
ency required, and keep in a separate pan, tur- 
pentine, containing a small proportion of var- 
nish or japan. By this plan dryer is added to 
each fresh pencilful of color, the pencil behaves 
better and the stripes run on as freely and with 
as good edges as w^hen color is mixed with oil. 
Last, but not least, the color is not so liable to 
* 'wash-up" as when japan and turpentine are 
employed. 



104 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



CLASSIFICA.TION OF PIGMENTS. 



The followiDg list of pigments, or paints, 
comprise about all that are required in Land- 
scape, Portrait, Decorative and Coach paint- 
ing. 

They are alphabetically arranged and as- 
sorted according to their colors and hues, and 
those required by the coach painters are re-ar- 
ranged by themselves. 

WHITES. 



Blanc d^Argent, 
China White, 
Cremnitz White, 
Flake White, 
Nottingham White, 

YELLOWS. 

Antimony Yellow; Indian Yellow, 



Silver White, 

White Lead, 

Whiting, 

Zinc White, French, 

Paris White. 



Brandon 
Brilliant 
Cadmium 
Capcine 



Italian Pink, 
Kings Yellow, 
Lemon Chrome, 
Lima Yellow, • 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



105 



YELLOWS, CONTINUED. 

Chrome Yellowy, No. 1 Mars Orange, 
" 2 Mars Yellow, 
* " '' " 3 Naples Yellow, light, 

" Light, " deep, 

" " Med. Orpiment, 

" '* Deep, Orange Chrome, 

'' French, Oxford Ochre, 
Patent Yellow, 
Raw, Sienna, 
Roman Ochre, 
Yellow Lake, 



Citron 

Dutch Pink, 
French Ochre, 
Golden Ochre, 
Yellow Ochre. 



Amaranda Lake, 
Burnt Carmine, 
Burnt Roman Ochre 
Brown Red, 
Burnt Sienna, 
Carmine, 
Carmine Lake, 
Carmoisen LaKe, 
Chatemuc " 



REDS. 

Persian Red, 
Red Lead, 
Rose Lake, 
Rose Madder, 
Rose Pink, 
Royal Red, 
Rose Scarlet, 
Scarlet Lake, light, 
'* deep^ 



Crimson Lake, Engl'h, Solferino Lake, 
" Amer. Turkey Red, 



Venetian Red, 


Vermilio 


n, American, 


( ( 


Chinese, 


(( 


English, 


(( 


French, 




Italian, 


(( 


Trieste, 


(( 


Ziibia. 



106 MlLi^ER*S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

EEDS, CONTINUED. 

Florentine Lake, Tuscan Red, 

Indian Red, 

Italian Red, 

Light Red, 

Mars Red, 

Munich Lake, 

Orange Mineral, 

Orpiment Mineral. 

Persian Scarlet, 

PURPLES. 

Concentrated Purple, Mauve Lake, 
English Purple Lake, Purple Madder, 
Royal Purple. 

GREENS. 

Brunswick Green, Pure Green, Light, 

Chrome Green, Light, " Medium, 

Med. '' Dark, 

" Deep, Bronze or Quaker, li'ht, 

Emerald Green, " Medium, 

Green Lake, " Dark, 

Gr'n Ox. of Chromium Sap Green, 
Malachite Green, Schweinfurth Green, 

Millori Green, Light, Schell Green, 
Dark, Terre Vert, 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



107 



GREENS, CONTINUED, 

Olive Lake, Ultramarine Green j 

Verdigris, 



Paris Green 
Veronese Green. 



Antwerp Blue, 
Burnt Prussian Blue, 
Blue Verditer, 
Celestial Blue, 
Chinese Blue, 
Cobalt Blue, 
Indigo, 
Lithographers Blue, 

BLACKS 



BLUES. 

Mars Violet, 
Milori Blue, 
New Blue, 
Permanent Blue, 
Prussian Blue, 
Ultramarine blue, Fr'h> 
" Ger. 
Violet Lake. 



Black Lead, 
Blue Black, 
Cork Black, 

Asphaltura, 
Bistre, 
Bitumen, 
Bone Brown, 
Brown Lake, 
Bro\vn Madder, 



Drop Black, 
Ivory Black, 
Lamp Blacks 

BROWNS. 

Cappah Brown, 
Cologne Earth, 
Mars Brown, 
Mummy, 
Prussian Brown, 
Raw Turkev Umber. 



108 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



BROWNS, CONTINUED. 

Brown Pink, Van Dyke Brown, 

Burnt Turkey Umber, Verona Brown, 
Caledonian Brown, Spanish Brown, 

PAINTS AND COLORS USED IN CARRIAGE 
PAINTING. 

Turkey Red, 
Tuscan Bed, 
Venetian Red, 
Vermi] ion , American , 
' ' Chinese, 



China Wiiite, 
Flake White, 
French Zinc, 
Silver White, 
Whiting, 
Brandon Yellow, 
ChromeYeI.,L.M. D 
Citron Yellow, 
Dutch Pink, 
Golden Ochre, 
Lemon Yellow, 
Naples Yellow, 
Orange Chrome, 
Oxford Ochre, 
Patent Yellow, 
Raw Italian Sienna, 
Yellow Lake, 
Yellow Ochre, 



*' English, 

** French, 

Trieste, 

English Purple Lake, 

Mauve Lake, 

Royal Purple, 

Celestial Blue, 

Chinese Blue, 

Prussian Blue, 

Ultramarine Blue, Fr'h, 

Violet Lake, 

" German, 

Chrome Green, L.M.D. 



Mll.LEK'S "BOSS" PAIJSTER. 109 

CARRIAGE PAINTS, CONTINUED. 

Burnt Italian Sieiincl, Emerald Green, 
Carmine, Malachite Green, 

Carmine Lake, Milori Green, L. M. D. 

Carmolsen Lake, Olive Lake, 

Cbatemuc " Pure Green, L. M. D. 

Crimson Lake, Eng., Quaker Green, L.M.D. 

" Amer. Schweinfurth, 

Florentine Lake, Verdigris, 

Lidian Eed, Asphaltum, 

Munich Lake, Burnt Umber, 

Red Lake, Raw '" 

Rose Pink, Vandyke Brown, 

Rose Lake, Brown Lake, 

Royal Red, Drop Blac'i, 

Scarlet Lake, Ivory Black, 

Lamp Black. 
Closely allied to paints are foliated or leaf 
metals, and metals in powder or Bronzes. The 
purest of the foliated metals are termed "leaf," 
the next grade "half gold," and the inferior 
kinds are called ''metal." Thus we have 
Gold Leaf, Half Gold. 

Silver Leaf, . Dutch Metal, 

French Metal. 



110 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



BRONZES. — COLORS OF 


BRONZE. 


White, 


Silver, 


Flesh, 


Light Gold, 


Dark Gold, 


Eich Gold, 


Lemon, 


Orange, 


Fire, 


Copper, 


Carmine, 


Crimson, 


Lilac, 


Violet, 


Brown, 



Light and Dark Greens. 
Gold and silver, however, are the only kinds 
of value to the carriage painter. 

PIGMENTS FOR FILLINGS AND ROUGH COATINGS. 

Brown Ochre, Eed Lead, 

Burnt Umber, White Lead, Wet, 

English Filling, " Dry, 

French Umber, Whiting, 

Yellow Ochre, 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. Hi 



HOUSE PAINTING. 

My book is not intended for the amateur 
painter, consequently I will not go into all the 
minor details of how all cases of house-work 
should be done, but will give some ideas that, 
perhaps, will be of some benefit to the practical 
workman. I find, in my experience, that on 
some jobs it takes more time to get at the 
work than it does to do it, consequently the 
painter is obliged to devise speedy ways and 
means of getting at the work. I will give 
some of my ways, — they may be old to some, 
but new to others. 

Window sash, sometimes, takes more time 
than all the balance of the outside work, and 
in priming, if you take them one by one, it re- 
quires considerable labor. A better way is to 
get two glass-boxes and lay the sash on them, 
flat, with the munnionsdown, one on top of the 
other evenly; put as many on the boxes as you 
can reach down, and it will be the same as 



112 MILLER'iS -BOSS'- PAINTER. 

painting the inside of a box ; use a 4-incli flat 
brush. I sometimes give sash two coats the 
same way before glazing, which will also save 
time, and the work does as well if you are care- 
ful and do not get the sash dirty while glazing. 
One good coat will do for the tracing. In 
painting old sash run around the stiles, letting 
the tracing go for the first coat; then trace the 
second coat. 

Brackets and scroll work should always be 
primed before they are put up ; and you will 
make time by giving them two coats, using the 
same color that the work will be finished in ; 
then in the finishing coat you can leave edges. 

Blinds. — If they are pivot or revolving 
slats lay the blind on the trestle, with the bar 
down ; then paint the top side of the slats ; 
then turn the slat over and paint the other side; 
then paint the stiles and the edge next to you; 
then turn the blind over and you will find both 
sides of the slats painted. Paint the bar, then 
the edge of the slats ; then in next the stile ; 
then the stile: then set it away up end down, 
and wipe up the other side. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 113 

Swingiiiis: Kcaffoldi 

It is a well-kuowii fact that the swing is a 
great improvement ou the old style way of do- 
lus: work, and for the information of the uni- 
nitiated I will give a description of how to rig 
and work them. A 40-foot fall is enough for 
doing all ordinary work, unless it be in large 
cities where buildings are tall, but I will speak 
of a 40-foot swing. The two ropes should be 
not less than f-inch in thickness and 160 feet 
long, each, with double pulley-blocks above 
and single blocks below. The stirrup should 
be made of rope, and I would recommend you 
to have as little iron about the rigging as possi- 
ble. A ladder will do for the stage by cover- 
ing it w^ith boards. There are various modes 
of rigging on the building. One is the out- 
rigger, which is used only when the roof is flat. 
Let the out-rigger (a scantling 3x4 and 16 or 
18 ft. long) project over the cornice about 4 ins. 
and fasten the tackle to it with ropes ; some 
have an iron ring on the out-rigger on which to 
hook the tackle, but I prefer rope. 

For general purposes I find the cornice hooks 



114 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

tlie best; they can be rigged the quickest. I 
hive a pair that I have been using for a num- 
ber of years, and I have not yet found the build- 
ing that I could not use them on. They are 
made of ^ by 2 inch wagon tire iron, and bent 
edgeways, with a hole in the lower end to hook 
the tackle into. They are large enough to go 
over a very large cornice, and are shaped some- 
thing in tliis style : 




The top part is round and sets on a block 
that has a hole sunk about half an inch in it. 
The block is 5x16 inches, and IJ inches in 
thickness. Pine will do, I use them for 
working in gutters or on cornices. I also have 
another set to work on shingle roofs. They are 
made of hard wood and the same size as the oth- 
ers. On top is the pivot hole, and on the bot- 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 115 

torn are little spins to keep them from slipping. 

Top Side. Bottom side. 



16 iuches. • 

They can be worked on gables, even if the 
ro( f be steep, and does not injure the shingles. 
I also have another set for slate roofs, that have 
rubber fastened to the bottom of the blocks. 
They are larger, — 10x18 inches. 

The swinging scaffold is certainly a great im- 
proverarut on the ladder mode of getting at the 
work, and in the eyes of some requires a ''sail- 
or" to work it, but I would rather work off of 
a swing on a building 8 stories high than off of 
a 16-foot ladder, for there is less danger of get- 
ting hurt, and it is not near so tiresome. Two 
good hands on a swinging scaffold can go over 
as much surface in a dny as four equally good 
hands can, in the same time, off of ladrjers. 
Hands are sometimes apt to become alarmed 
when doing gables, but if the swing is pulled 
up w^ell and well braced out from the wall, 
there is no danger. I have w^orked a step lad- 
der on the stage to get at the points of ga])les. 



IK) MJLLKR'S "B^JSS" PAINTER. 

chimneys, &c. Set the foot of the steps as far 
out on the stage as you can, and lean the top 
against the wall, 

• Brick Wall Painting. 

New walls should be well rubbed down with 
a brick and brushed off with a stiff broom the 
first thing, then it is ready for the 

First Coat. Yellow ocher and raw oil, 
with sufficient dryers to dry it. If the job is to 
be finished red, add a little Venetian red to 
the ochre. Do not <ro over the work ao-ain un- 
til it is thoroughly dry, which will be in two or 
three days. Give it more time if you can, be- 
cause you will save time and material. 

Second Coat. Use raw oil and one-third 
turps if you wish tliejob to stand out well iu 
the finishing. Some go so far as to say there 
should be no turps used in any of the coats for 
outside work, but I differ with them so far as 
the second coat is concerned. If the wall is to 
be red use Venetian red, or, if it is to be stone 
color, mix the color as near what the finish is 
to be as you can. In this coat you are to do 
all the puttying-up as you go. 



MILLEK'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 117 

Third Coat. Boiled oil and the color the 
work is to be finished, If red use, Indian red 
or Eiiglisl) Venetian, and if stone ex)lor use f 
WZ and I WL. The third coat should be 
worked as stiff as you can conveniently work it. 

l>tirable CoIor»$ for Outside Work. 

If I were asked what colors or kinds of paints 
are best for exterior work, I would say in all 
oases use such colors as can be nuide from min- 
eral or earth paints, with as little white lead 
or zinc as possible. We know that ochres, 
Venetian reds, metalics, and even whiting will 
liold to the oil, or the oil will hold to them long- 
er than either lead or zinc when exposed. 
These, therefore, must be more durable for out- 
ride work. 

Flatting: Brick Wails. 

The i)ainter is sometimes called upon to do 
work of that description. Coat the wall first 
and second coat same as previous article on 
brick wall painting. The "flat" color should 
be worked very quick, and you must be careful 
not to leave laps. Two, three, or more men 
should work tos'ether and carry the reaches i 



MILLER'ri -BOSS'' PAINTER. 



such a manner as to avoid making any laps. 
"Flat" color is color without gloss, or dead col- 
or. If you wish a dead flat use all turps, but 
that would be hard to work. The **flat" color 
properly prepared and put on should be ap- 
plied within a short time after the last oil coat 
has become dry. This permits the ''flatting'" 
to adhere firmly and become a part of the oil- 
coat, merely deadenino; the gloss ; in this way 
there is no more danger of the weather having 
effect upon it than on a gloss, or even so much. 
The flatting is thus rendered less liable tO' 
change in color and more pleasant to the eye, 
as tlie roughness and imperfections of the wall 
are not so conspicuous. 

Penciling. 

For brick walL The work should belaid off 
in half bricks with chalk line, so as to put in. 
the headers on a line, one above the other al- 
ternately. To do the aligning tlie commoi? 
brick v/all lining-brush, which is about & inches 
in length; the brush with which to put in the 
headers is about 2 inches long,*^ the straight 
edge, 5 feet in length and 2 inches in widths 



MFLLEK'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 119 

and J inch in thickness, with a sharp beveled 
edge. 

Penciling requires no ordinary skill, but oft- 
entimes the boss-painter in small localities is 
called upon to do work of the kind, and is very 
often put to his wit's end to know what to do 
about it. One man in Michigan wrote to me, 
that he had worked at painting for 40 years 
and had never been called upon to paint a brick 
wall, and I know from the tone of his letter 
that he is a practical painter. Penciling is 
very hard to do off of ladders, unless you rig a 
scaffold with them, wdiich is done by standing 
two ladders alongside of the wall, lasliing the 
tops to the cornice. Get a good stout plank 
and have one end on one ladder and the other 
end on the other ladder. The swinging scaf- 
fold is the best if you have one. For color use 
white lead, oil, and japs, enough to dr\ it, also 
turps, enough to keep it from running. If 
you are inexperienced in that class of work, 
commence at the back of the house, or do the 
chimneys first, and by the time you get around 
to the front vour work will be l>etter. 



m MILLERS "BOSS" PAINTEIL 

Jiiiside Worls 

Is usually done in "flats," sometimes dead^ 
sometimes eggshell. Whites I would recom- 
mend to work "dead," as tliey are less liable to 
turn yellow. But if you wish an eggshell fin- 
ish put a little demar varnish in it; use no oil. 
It is Dot always advisable where tints are used 
to work the color "dead," for in that case more 
material is used, for the oil helps to make the 
body, consequently the material will go furth- 
er. It is useless to enter into minute details as 
to how all the various kinds of inside work 
should be done, but will give my way ol doing 
some of the more important kinds of work. 

Gloss White, sometimes called porcelain 
white, Florence white, &c. It is useless to tell 
the practical painter that he shcnld clean all 
the dust and dirt out of the room first, but it is 
necessary at times. I have known some of 
the best workman in the country to prime the 
work and then clean up afterwards, but by fo 
doing, it causes more sandpapering and clean- 
ing up to be done. I will novv treat on how a 
first class job is to be done. This is a class of 
work that must not l)e hurried. 



MILLKR'S "ROSS" PAINTER. VIl 

1st. Clean all the work, Get all the dust 
and dirt out of the room; do not leave a speck 
of dust on the work or floor ; use a good, stiff 
bristle duster for that purpose. 

2d. Coat the work with shellac varnish. 

3d. Size all the knots and sappy places with 
quick drying gold size, then lay on a leaf of 
gold or silver. Tlmt is the only reliable way 1 
have ever found of killing knots. 

4th. Coat the work with white lead mixed 
with turps and oil, half and half. Give this 
coat a sufficient time to dry. 

otii. The putty should be w^bite lead, whit-^ 
ing and japan. Putty Uj) all the hole, cracks, 
etc. Let tlie work stand until the putty be- 
gins to harden, then sandpaper all the work in 
the room, then dust of! and sweep the floor. 
Right here let me say, some workman will rub 
down a door and frame, paint it, then go to the 
next and rub it down and dust it off, throwing 
dust all over the work they have just done, but 
that kind of work will not do. 

Btli. Coat the work with half white lead 
and half zinc, almost dead ffat. 

Tth. This cDat sliouid be all zinc of the best 



m MlLLRR'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

quality; French green seal is what I would rec- 
ommend. Put it on with a soft hair flatting 
brush, and make it cover as well as you can. 
Work the color dead flat. This coat should be 
allowed to become hard 

8th. Now all depends upon the judgment 
of the workman. The work must have a good 
clear white white body before it receives the 
final rubbing. If the work is not clear enough 
put on another coat of the same as the last, but 
not so heavy. Do not put that coat on until the 
work is thoroughly di'y, then let the work get 
hard, the harder the better ; then sandpaper, 
Use No. 1. if the work is not dry it will roll 
under the paper, and also gum up. Rub all 
brush marks down smooth; be careful not to 
tub the edges barej but if you do, touch them 
up with color. 

9th. Eggshell gloss, that is zinc mixed with 
turps with one-half demar varnish. See that 
your color is clean, run through a fine strainer* 
Use well'-ground Cal. Magnesia foj* dryer in this 
and the previous coats, except the first. Do 
not use japan as it is apt to .stain the work. 

10th. Rub down li2:htlv with verv fine 



MILLER'S "iiOSS" PAlKTER. I'M 

sandpaper. The work should be bard, tbe 
harder tbe better, for if it is anyways soft tbe 
varnish will go in dead and will necessitate one 
or more coats of demar. 

Tbe demar for this coat should be stained 
a little with tbe zinc, and should be flowed 
on quick. Look sharp for runs ; if you 
pee them start wipe them up before the varnish 
sets, for it you do not it will then be too late* 
I have put water in the varnish to prevent its 
running, but it is not advisable, as it does not 
do the varnish any good. It is sometimes nec- 
essary to give the work a second coat of demar^ 
but do not do it until the previous coat is thor- 
oughly dry, which will take about three days. 
If there are any runs cut them off with a sharp 
chisel or sharp putty knife. 

Painting: Plastered Walls. 

Walls that have never been painted should 
be thoroughly cleaned and rubbed down ; then 
give them a coat of glue size, then putty up all 
the holes and cracks. The putty for that pur- 
pose is made of whiting and glue water. Use 
no oil In large holes when the putty is dry 



124 Mil.i^ER'.S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

you will have to re-putty, as it will shrink more 
or less. Avoid usiug oil putty in this class of 
work, as the putty is apt to strike through. 
For oil fiiiisli, — first and second coats half and 
half oil and turps, third coat all oil. If you 
have a bad wall or a rough ceiling I would ad- 
vise you to stipple. It is very easily done. If 
you have no stippling brush a bristle dusting 
brush will do» Pounce each stretch as you do 
them with the point of the brush. You must 
be careful to pounce it all ever evenly, and 
leave no holidays. Varnished ceilings and side 
walls are passing out of date. I do not advise 
them, for where you use zinc mixed with oil it 
is almost impossible for the inexperienced to 
tell the differeuce. But where it is necessary to 
have varnish finish, first coat should be almost 
fiat; second coat two-thirds turps and one-third 
Varuisli; third coat half turps and half varnish, 
and for the last or varnish coat use almost clear 
varnish. Put enough color in it to stain it. 
The wall can l)e improved by running a stencil 
border around the room. I have patterns of 
all kinds for sale. Price 25 cents per pattern, 
or three for 50 cents. Send 1-cent postage 



MILLER'S -'BOSS" PAINTER. 125 

stamps. In orderiug please state the size you 
wish. For further particulars see card iu the 
back of this book. 

9Ioiil<l Stains. 

The spots should be well \vet with cider viu« 
egar. Let stand for a few hours, then wash 
with alum water. I have sometime shellaced 
the spots after the washing. 

iiileiicil and Pounce Patterns lor Wall**, €©ilfi( 
ings, «fcc. 

For pounce, medium heavy roll drawing-pa- 
per is the best for ceiling, or whei-e the pounce 
pattern is to be large, but any kind of thin, 
tough paper will answer. 

Tools. — The straight edge, dividers, a few 
sticks of charcoal, (that made from grapevine 
is considered the best,) and a medium grade 
lead pencil, comprise the tools for sketching. 

With the straight edge first draw^ two center 
lines, at right angles, across the paper, then on 
one side of center line sketch in one-half of the 
scroll or ornament, in a bold free off-hand mau' 
ner, with ciiarcoal. Trace these lines carefully 
with lead pencil, correct all curves or angles 



126 MILLER'S "BOSS'* PAINTKR. 

where necessary, and dust off the charcoal. If 
the design proves satisfactory retrace the pen- 
cil marks with charcoal and fold the sheet in- 
ward on the center line; rlib the paper lightly 
on the back and you have a faint outline of the 
other half of the design, which may be speedi* 
ly completed with the lead pencil. Now don't 
grasp an old blunt pin and punch away at the 
design until it resembles a porous plaster, but 
procure a slim, sharp needle and shape a piece 
of soft wood about the size and shape of a sharp- 
ened lead pencil for a handle. By placing the 
point of the needle against some hard wood, 
the needle can be pressed into the handle. You 
can save time enough in pricking one good 
sized pattern to make a tool of this description, 
and with proper usage it will last a life time. 

Pricking the pattern is an awkward job if 
held in the hands, and good work is rarely ac- 
complished in that way. To do it neatly and 
easily, spread the pattern out on a smooth cloth 
cushion; but as cushions are unusual furniture 
for the paint shop and not always convenient 
to get, take the next best thing you can get 
hold of which may be a woolen jacket or even 



MILLER'S "BOSS" FAINTER. i2? 

an old pair of overalls rolled up into a suitable 
bundle. 

If the needle be driven straight through into 
the cloth, it makes a clean-cut hole and the 
pattern will work equally well from the bottom 
side. Whiting tied up in some coarse thin cloth 
is most commonly used for a pounce bag, but 
for a light ground work use powdered charcoal. 

A tracing wheel that pricks twelve holes to 
the inch, with long slim teeth is the best, and 
may be procured of any dealer in saddlery 
hardware. A smooth soft wood board is the 
best to brick on. Unfold the paper after prick- 
ing, and lightly sandpaper the reverse side 
to remove the raised portion forced through by 
the teeth of the wheel, which, if neglected, will 
obstruct the holes. Pounce with whiting. 
Rose pink is suitable for light colors. 

stencil Patterns. 

For stencil patterns use linen tracing cloth* 
The design may be drawn with lead pencil, 
and, with good taste and judgment, the ties 
may be so placed as to require no touching up 
or connecting. Cut on glass with a sharp pen- 



12H MILLER'S ''BOSS'' PAINTER. 

knife held perpendicular or nearly so; this done, 
give two coats of sheHac on each side and you 
have a pattern that will last a long time. It 
should be carefully cleaned after using. A 
great improvement in stencilling is the" roller, 
which has superseded the stencil brush. A 
wooden roller 2^ or 3 inches long and 1 J inches 
in diameter is set in a forked handle and cov- 
ered with ordinary car seat plush. The paint 
to be used should be made quite thic^i and suf- 
ficient oil used to prevent setting too quickly. 
Spread a small quantity of the color on a pal- 
ette or sheet of glass, and run the roller several 
times over it. Care must be taken not to get 
too much color as it will press under the edges 
of the pattern and make an unsightly blot. 
Small patterns may be held in position with 
one hand, but larger ones will require to be 
fastened with a couple of needles or fine tacks. 
With a little practice the most beautiful clear- 
cut designs can be executed, and several col- 
ors employed. 

A good working gold-size for stencilling is 
made ot English varnish^ and japan gold size 
thickened with tube chrome yellow. Equally 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTEII, 129 

clean work may be done with it as witli paint. 
After using the roller, wash with benzine or 
turpentine and afterwards with soapsuds and 
rinse with clear water, and it is ready for use 
again. All colors for stencilling should be 
mixed with about as mucli turpen tine as oil, and 
can be used very sparingly. A common mistake 
with the uninitiated is using the color too freely, 
which causes blots and ragged edges. To over- 
come this difficulty, I would recommend giving 
the brush or roller a few brisk rubs on a piece 
of board atter it has been dipped in the color and 
before it is applied to the work. This will dis- 
tribute the color evenly on the brush or roller 
and give uniformity of color and clear cut edges 
to the finished ornament. 

I keep a large assortment of stencil patterns 
for fresco decorations, etc., comprising corners, 
mouldings, borders, brackets, 'center pieces, 
panels, pillasters, freizes, dados, &c, No two 
alike. 100 designs, (not cut,) full working 
size, artistically printed in colors, with full in- 
structions, price $5 00. 1 sample for 25c., 3 
for 50c. In ordering samples send 1-cent post- 
age stam}>s. 



130 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

Paint for Tin and Iron Roofs. 

All line preparations of tlie carbonates and 
oxides of lead or copper are unsuitable for 
painting tin roofs, for the reason that a pure 
oxide when applied to other metals will assist 
in the action of the elements to oxidize the met- 
als they cover. The vehicle of all good paint 
is boiled or raw linseed oil, and this, when 
tliickened with pigments, covers a less given 
space; and the material being an oxide, hold- 
ing more oil than is imparted to the surface 
to be painted, soon throws oft its share and is 
ready to absorb the air and convey it to the 
body of the metal, where natural corrosion will 
ta\e place, and then the two oxides unite chem- 
cally. In other words, all paints in the ab- 
sence of a solvent, which time soon releases 
them of, act upon iron or tin as a filter, feed- 
ing the porous spots with moisture, like a por- 
ous plaster of rust ; and as like produces its 
kind, the decomposed metals work like a happy 
family, and roll in beds of rust. This fact is 
observable on flat surfaces, or in gutters where 
inequalities occur. Here the fine dust or pow- 
der collects and keeps the water in them until 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 131 

the cil decomposes, then the work of oxida- 
tion commences. There is another fruitful 
source from which rust on the upper or under 
side of roofing tin comes, and that is mixing- 
paints in common, cheap oils of kerosene, con- 
taining sulphuric acid. Tiiis oil never dries. 
It may harden the film of paint so as to allow 
the acid it contains to corrode the tin, and the 
best paint in the world on the opposite side 
cannot prevent the acid-eaten holes from com- 
ing through ; and judge the effect when both 
sides happen to receive the same potent mix- 
ture ! 

The best paint for tin or iron is composed of 
pure linseed oil and earth ochres, red or yel- 
low. The coarser granulated powders are best 
as a pigment, as they offer less air holes and 
give a firmer hold for the oil on the grits, and 
thus bend them to the metal. The oil in this 
manner gets close to the metal, and offers re- 
sistance to the air in removing the atoms from 
its cohesion. 

Roofing tin should, when laid, be Kept clean 
from windfalls of dust, and painted once 
in every two or three years. Metals applied in 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



tlie angles of roofs as flasliings, where shingles 
are laid behind parapet walls, should be well 
painted, on both sides, and the crevices between 
the laps puttied and painted, and thus cut off 
leaks in corners. 

VarnisliiiBg'. 

In the proper manipulation of varnish lies to 
a considerable degree the secret o± its present- 
inar fullness and brilliancy. The same m.ake of 
varnish applied by two different methods of 
brushing, will often present so great a differ- 
ence in beautj as to give the impression that 
one body was finished with an A No. 1 grade, 
while the other will appear to be quite the op- 
posite. Finishers who flow on heavy coats of 
varnish, and spread it over a considerable 
before they level it up — as a rule — produce the 
best work, and are the least liable to lay in 
complaints about seediness, brush marks and 
runs. 

Fresco or Uisteauper Painting;. 

The carbonate of lime or whitening employed 
as a basis is less active than the pure lime of 
fresco. The vehicles of both modes are the 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER, 13S 

same and their practice is often combiiipcl in 
the- same work. AYater is the common vehicle, 
and to give adhesion to the tints and colors in 
distemper painting and make them keep their 
place they are varionsly mixed witli the size of 
glue. Too much of the glue disposes the paint- 
ing to crack and peel from the ground, while 
with too little it is friable and deficient of 
of strength. In some cases the glue may be 
abated or altogether dispensed with, by em- 
ploying plaster of Paris sufficiently diluted and 
worked into colors, by which they will acquire 
a good surface and keep their place in the dry 
with the strength of fresco and without being 
liable to mildew, to which animal glue is dis- 
posed, and to which milk and other vehicles 
recommended in this mode are subject. Of 
more difficult introduction in these modes of 
painting is beeswax, although it has been em- 
ployed successfully in each of them, and in the 
encaustic of the ancients who finished their 
work therein by heating the surface of the 
painting till the wax melted. That would be 
rather a slow process for the present day. 
Never work the color while warm, and do 



MlJ.l^ER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 



not dissolve the glue by means of heat if it can 
Le avoided. The brushes for this class of work 
should be first class long bristle brushes. The 
stencil is very extensively used in this class of 
work ; handwork, according to the prices that 
are now paid does not pay. It is so now that 
any one that can draw a straight line, and has 
a set of stencils — that person is a fresco painter. 

Measurements. 

Outside Woek. — To get at the number of 
yards there are ot wall or weatherboard I would 
suggest the following method : Add the num- 
ber of feet front and rear to the feet in length 
(both sides) Multiply this by the average 
higlit. Divide the product by y, which will 
give the number of yards to be painted. 

For ExAMPlvE— Front , 30 feet 

Rear 80 " 

Side 40 " 

Side 40 "■ 

140 
Multiply by aveiTVge height 25 

700 

280 

9)3500 
Square yards 3Sf* 



MILLEU'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 135 

In some sections it is not customary to count 
in windows and doors solid. The painter 
should have extra for all outside doors and 
windows. Windows will average three yards ; 
doors and casings five yards. If you think you 
can do the work tor twenty cents per yard, the 
windows would be sixty cents apiece, then mul- 
tiply by the number of windows. The door 
would be^l, which also multiply by tlie num- 
ber of doors. 

Cornices should be measured 1-| times for the 
girth if it is plain and one color; but if more 
than one color, one girth for each additional 
color. The measurer must make allowance tor 
the position of the cornice, if it is a hard one to 
get at allow for it accordingly. 

Cornice with blocks — two girths. 

'' *' and brackets, — if the 

brackets are not very close together give it t*wo 
Jind a half girths. 

Cornice with blocks, brackets and molded 
panels, — three girths. 

Barge boards, if 6 inches wide, should count 
on'e foot. 



186 MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 

Corner strips, carpet strips, hook strips, gas 
and other pipes, should ccunt as one foot. 

Edges of shelving one foot. 

Blinds, the height one time, width three 
times. 

Lattice, height one time, width four times. 

Scroll work on verandas should be meas- 
ured solid for each side. 

Bash solid for each side. 

Cutting edges of all descriptions inside and 
out four inches. 

Cupaloes and other high work should have 
double measurement. 

Weatherboard edges should be counted 1 
inch. 

Base board from 5 to 8 inches should count 
as one foot. 

Capped base, one and one-half foot; with two 
colors if 10 inches, 2 feet; if over 10 inches 
more in proportion. 

Fencing should be counted solid on both 
sides. 

Picket fence, 4 feet high, one yard to the foot. 

Iron fence, 3 feet higli, one vard to the foot. 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAINTER. 137 

Bill of Prices for Painting, «fcc. 

New work, and furnish material. 

Surface work, square yard, 1 coat 10c 

«' " 2 " 18 

*' " 3 " 25 

Brick walls, '' 1 '' 15 

2 " 25 

" " 3 " 35 

Varnishing same as painting. 

OLD WORK. 

Surface work, square yard, 2 coats 18c 

Brick wall, " 2 '' .........20 

" penciling, sq. yd., 10 

Ground, graining, and 1 coat of varnish, 

square yard 60 

Graining. ....35 

GLAZING. 

Priming and glazing sash, glass 10 inches- 

in length 5c 

Add 1 cent for each 2 inches up to 24^, after 
which add 1 cent for every inch. Bedding and 
back-puttying charge double rates. When 
putty is of a different color charge in propor- 
tion to the extra labor, whicli is generally one- 



MiLIiER'S "BOSS'' PAINTER. 



half more. If the painter furnishes the gh(SS 
charge 10 per cent, of cost for breakage. 

RE-GLAZINGt. 

Charge the same for the labor that the glass 
tosts. 

Plain lettering on board, per foot 2Cc 

Shaded, one color, " " 25 

For each additional color, " 5 

Plain lettering on muslin, " 10 

"■ on wall, " 18 

Large lettering " " .,,.......25 

Charge for the ground by the square yard. 
Gold lettering on board, small, per foot 50c 



" 60 

" 75 

'' 60 

*' 75 

'< 80 

$1.00 to 1.25 

50c 

A book of gold has 25 leaves in it, 3J inches 
square or 12| square inches, or 318 inches to 
the book. A gold gilder will make it reach 
olO on flat work. Sign work, 800; there being 



'' over 6 in., 
flock or smalt, 
on glass, small, 
" large, 
" shaded, 
" blend shade,.. 



Gilding, per book 



MILLEU'S "ftOSS^' PAlNTEll. 139 

SO much more waste in that class of work. It is 

always best to count the leaf 9 inches and allow 

the ^ inch for waste 

1 paper of bronze will go over 4 square feet* 

1 pound of flock will cover 5 yards. 

1 " '' sraalt " 1 yard. 

CARRIAGE PAINTING- 

New bu^'gy, plain finish, $15 

finefinish, $18 to $25 

New carriage, plain finish T. . $20 

fine finish $25 to $35 

Spring wagon, new, plain finish.. ...,.$12 

" fine finish ...$15 to $25 

For old work, one-fourth less than new. 

Contracting'. 

There are times that the painter cannot go all 
through a house and measure everything in it 
that is to be painted. I have made bids on 
work and never seen the house inside of ten 
minutes. The method I have is to average all 
inside work thus: 1 side of door and frame, 1 
side window and frame, 1 baseboard, 1 mantel. 
If they are all measured up the average wdll be 
5 yards apiece; at 20c. per yard would be $1. 



138 MILLER'S "BOSS'' PAlNTEft. 

half more. If the painter furnishes the ghcss 
charge 10 per cent, of cost for breakage. 
RE-GLAzma. 
Charge the same for the labor thnt the glass 
Costs. 

Plain lettering on board, per foot 2Cc 

Shaded, one color, " '' , 25 

For each additional color, " 5 

Plain lettering on muslin, " 10 

" on wall, *' 18 

Large lettering " " ,.,.....,.25 

Charge for the ground by the square yard. 

Gold lettering on board, small, per foot 50c 

'' '' over 6 in., " 60 

'* flock or smalt, " 75 

" on glass, small, " 60 

large, " 75 

shaded, '' 80 

" blend shade,..$1.00tol.25 

Gilding, per book 50c 

A book of gold has 25 leaves in it, 3J inches 
square or 12|^ square inches, or 318 inches to 
the book. A gold gilder will make it reach 
810 on flat work. Sign work^ 800; there being 



MILLER'S "BOSS'' PAlNTEtl. 139 

SO much more waste in that class of work. It is 

always best to count the leaf 9 inches and allow 

the J inch for waste 

1 paper of bronze will go over 4 square feet^ 

1 pound of flock will cover 5 yards. 

1 " '' smalt " 1 yard. 

CARRIAGE PAINTING- 

New buggy, plain finish, $15 

finefinish, $18 to $25 

New carriage, plain finish T. . $20 

fine finish $25 to $35 

Spring wagon, new, plain finish. ^ $12 

- fine finish ...$15 to $25 

For old work, one-fourth less than new. 

Contracting-. 

There ai'e times that the painter cannot go all 
through a house and measure everything in it 
that is to be painted. I have made bids oni 
w^ork and never seen the house inside of teu 
minutes. The method I have is to average all 
inside work thus: 1 side of door and frame, 1 
side window and frame, 1 baseboard, 1 mantel. 
If they are all measured up the average will be 
5 yards apiece; at 20c. per yard would be $1. 



140 MILLER'S -BOSS" PAINTER. 

Count the number of sides and multiply by SI 
and you will have the cost of all the work. 

Wi^ig-hts ant! Uleasiircs of Paints. 

The figures here given are the results of care- 
ful experiments, and will prove as nearly right 
as it is possible to make them : 
Weights. — Turpentine, 1 gal,, weighs 5 lbs. 
Varnish, '' " 8 lbs. 

LiyseedOil, " " 7J lbs. 

Japan, " '' 9 lbs. 

Pure Lead mixed, '' '' 20 lbs. 

Prim TNG Woodtvork. 

1 lb. of pure lead will prime 4 sq. yds. 

•' adulterated lead " 5J " 

" substitute '' *' 8 

" ochre " 7 

Priming Brick Wall. 

IJ lb. lead will prime 1 sq. yd. 

The other paints the same in proportion. 

On plastered walls you can calculate on the 
material going If times as far as on woodwork, 
and if the wall is hard finish it will go still 
farther. 5 lbs. substitute will finish a ceiling 
15x15, s^iviner it three coats, and vou will have 



MILLER'S "BOSS" PAlISTEIi. I4i 



a inucli better job tliaii if you use lead. 



MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. 

Iodide of Potassiam, one-half ounce, 

Hyrup of Sarsaparilla, six ounces, 

Mix, and take one teaspoonful four times a 
day. 

The above recipe is one used by the entire 
profession as a cure for "lead poisoning," and is. 
considered the best in use by tiie most eminent 
authors. It is a well-known fact that lead poi- 
soning is exceeding hard to control, from two 
reasons: first, it is most insidious in its ap- 
proach, and has thoroughly pervaded the sys- 
tem before tiie unfortuate victim is aware of its 
existence ; ^nd, secondly, it is like tlie chains 
of malaria, the victim must either give up his 
trade or })e constantly exposed to the cause of 
his malady. For the prevention of the poison 
I would recommend first of all cleanliness in 
every particular; regular baths in cold water; 
the avoidance of too-constant wearing of the 
clothes saturated v> ith the lead ; the working 



142 MiLLER'tS "BOSS" PAINTER. 

in close shops. A close attentiou should be 
paid the diet, the bowels kept regular, and open 
air exercise should be constantly observed. A 
painter who makes his trade a life-work should 
leave his shop at intervals, not too far apart, 
and remain away from the poison long enough 
each time for his system to free itself from any 
invasion that has already been made, and I 
feel quite sure that if the above observations 
be strictly followed tiiere Avill be no 'painter's 
colic." 

It is impossible to treat any especial case 
without its history, and will, therefore, say it 
any individual wants special treatment it can 
be obtained by sending the symptoms and du- 
ration of the attack, as plainly as you can, to- 
gether with 12 00, to my address, 

G. W.PRUGH, M. D., 
Greene Co. Xenia, Ohio. 



^p^ 



41 fiifffli, Miifiie, 



1 have now an article that tlie Painter lias long 
leltthe need of: 



TRANSFERABLE |^ 




Full \yorking Size ; Artistically Printed in 
—Suitable for— 

Siiiml 

By the Best Designers in the United States, comprising 

Mouldings, Cornees, 

BoEDERs, Center Pieces, 
Rosettes, Medallions, 

PiLLASTEEE, RaILS. 

[over] Dado Compounds. 



Cue set of Transfer Stencil Patterns will do for 
ordinary work. The patterns will en- 
able the House-Painter to do 
a good job of Fres- 
co Work, 



Directions. — After preparing the paper as 
described in a previous article, lay the pat- 
tern on the prepared paper and run a warm 
iron over it. Five or six impressions can be 
ma^e ofl of the same pattern. 

—TERMS.— 

1 sample pattern.... 25 

3 '* ' 50 

1 complete set of 100 patterns, no two 

alike $5.00 



In sending small sums send 1-cent United 
States Postage Stamps, I cannot use Canada 
stamps. 

R. C. MILLER, 

Xenia, (3iiio. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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014 051 271 




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